Writings

Essentially Eclectic

2010-08-11T23:39:00.001+01:00

Sorry for the confusion, but due to lack of audio uploading capabilities on this blog, operations have moved back to Essentially Eclectic

School of Seven Bells

2010-07-21T15:28:00.002+01:00

Artist: School of Seven Bells
Venue: Scala (King’s Cross, London)
Date: Tuesday 20th July, 2010

Dream pop architects School of Seven Bells are almost defiantly niche in their style. The casual listener must work hard to wade through the electro-Spector productions of new album Disconnect From Desire (and its slightly more lo-fi predecessor Alpinisms) to share in the adoration the band receive from its growing following.
Those already on the inside could have been forgiven feelings of anxiousness while awaiting the band’s arrival on stage at London’s Scala last night. On record the band posses an enviable mix of cutting edge (subtle, guitar-infused electro) and mystique (alluring twin sister harmonies, abstract lyrics), and the uneasy mood in the audience concerned how successfully this mix could be recreated live. However, as opening track Half Asleep crashed in to being, the capacity crowd breathed a collective sigh of relief as it became clear that these elements were not purely the result of studio trickery.
With the addition of a live drummer to the keyboard/drum machine/guitars combination of Benjamin Curtis and twin sisters Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, the band reproduced selected tracks from both releases, often walking the fine line between static electronica ensemble and edgy indie guitar band while doing so. Movement and interaction was minimal, although they were clearly enjoying themselves, with smiles replacing the anticipated pretentious scowl. With a style regularly described as ethereal, and occasionally as a less-organic Stereolab, the band made their way through other favourites such as the livelier My Cabal, and the extended, building encore of Chain. Less established tracks from Disconnect From Desire blended in perfectly with previous material, almost to the point of monotony, and the freshness of the album’s release (just a week prior to this performance) didn’t dampen the crowd’s enthusiasm as they cheered the intro to new song Windstorm. Both Deheza sisters exuded a mesmerising and sultry presence, Claudia from behind keyboards backing up the lead vocals of Alejandra, both glued together by the sweeping guitar textures of former Secret Machines member Benjamin Curtis. The repetitive nature of the performance was evident; many songs were of similar tempo, with comparable floating vocal melodies and synthesiser pad layers. However this is in keeping with the concept of School of Seven Bells, a concept that was fully (and ethereally) realised on stage at Scala.

Update

2010-03-22T22:56:00.008Z

I have mainly been using this space for general thoughts and opinions, discussion of recent musical findings, and links to interesting and related articles. If you are interested in reading any of my work for university however, please click the links below.

Click HERE for some recent review work. The set brief required 2,000 worth of reviews, of both live and recorded music. One had to be at least 500 words, two had to be a maximum of 150. At least one had to include interview elements.
I went with two long reviews - one of Massive Attack's Heligoland, the other a live review of the recent Music Beyond The Mainstream African Soul Rebels Tour.
My shorter reviews included a live review of a Lee 'Scratch' Perry gig, a look at Four Tet's new album There Is Love In You, which included the required interview elements, and a review of Julian Casablancas' solo debut Phrazes For The Young.

Click HERE for some recent features work. The brief here again required 2,000 words, with a 1,000 word lead, and one with a maximum of 250 words. One also had to be a new based backgrounder. I chose two artists to feature, firstly a techno producer known as Taylor for a 1,000 feature on IDM (Intelligent Dance Music) and the Wigflex label he is working with. Secondly was 750 words on James Vyner, former bass player with indie band Seachange, who now creates audio walking tours of London. Lastly, my 250 word new backgrounder was based around the latest Wailers tour, focusing on other bands that continue to play without their lead stars.

I found the discipline of keeping to a word count difficult at times, and had to edit and re-edit my work on numerous occasions. It was also fairly difficult to write for a target audience (in this case the university), as my tastes may differ a lot to the majority of the readers. Any feedback on any of the writing here would be greatly appreciated.
For more reflections on the practices behind putting this work together, please click HERE

How Wrong We Were About Black Sabbath

2010-02-22T20:29:00.002Z

"Critics could hear the heaviness, they just couldn't hear that it mattered"

Interesting article from last week's Guardian about what music critics are 'wrong' about, and what they've been 'wrong' about in the past...

Read it HERE

Heligoland - How To Write A Massive Attack Review

2010-02-13T15:31:00.004Z

It is a common misconception that the best way to approach a review is to listen to the album/track in question a few times before expressing an informed opinion of the material in some form of context. While attempting a recent review of Massive Attack’s Heligoland, I discovered through research that certain rules must be adhered to and protocol followed. Especially in the broadsheets and monthly music publications, Massive Attack have apparently been ‘sussed’, eradicating the necessity to discuss them in any new way, and therefore making it easier for journalists to put together a paint-by-numbers piece on the group. Here are 6 simple steps that you can follow when writing your own Massive Attack review……

1. Start with a reference to the fact that it has been years since their last release (in this case seven), and imply that they are only pushing a few buttons/recording a few west country-accented vocals, so what’s taking them so long?

2. Follow this up with an observation regarding the amount of weed they smoke. This is a favourite of the broadsheets that still like to think of themselves as mildly ‘liberal’, while confirmation that the journalist in question knows what cannabis smells/looks like is apparently qualification enough for them to be writing the piece. The venerable Alexis Petridis, The Guardian’s Sultan of disagreeable opinion, has demonstrated exquisite use of this technique over the years. See “Massive Attack: ‘Phantom Funk? Who Said That?’ from The Guardian, 10th September 2009.

3. With customary steps one and two out the way, the review should then go on to inform us how influential this group of Bristolians have been on electronic-based music in this country, indeed that they pretty much invented trip-hop (a genre they neither associate themselves with, or claim to understand). Also mention that they were leaders of the ‘Bristol Scene’ in the mid ‘90s, which, according to the mainstream music press, consisted only of them, former collaborator Tricky, Portishead, and occasionally Roni Size.

4. Whilst on the subject, discuss Tricky’s or even Andrew “Mushroom” Vowles’ unceremonious departure from the group, even though the latter happened about 13 years ago, and the former over 16. This is another favourite subject of journalists, who have some strange desire to blow it out of all proportion while the group look on, bemused (and stoned, don’t forget to say they are stoned).

5. Don’t be afraid to use big words. Massive Attack are now officially owned by the broadsheets, as they are pioneers of the ‘urban, yet critically acclaimed and therefore non-threatening or too difficult to categorise’ school of artists (see Dizzee Rascal or someone like that). In a recent article in The Times, Will Self refers to the band as, among other things: intransigent (dunno what the means), sui generis (sounds Latin or something), and effusive (think that’s like unreserved). The fact that Self also refers to the group as “The Massives” is further evidence that the “serious” music press now see them as one of their own.

6. Write a lot about both Blue Lines and Mezzanine, even though they were both released well over a decade ago, and have subsequently been raped and pillaged by adverts and US dramas (both medical and cop). To be fair to reviewers on this front, the band have not particularly moved on in terms of their sound from this era, so points for relevance may still be earned here.

Oh yeah, Heligoland. Yeah, it’s good. Give it a listen.

Thought For The Day...

2010-01-17T22:59:00.000Z

Frank Zappa had a parrot named Bird Reynolds.

2009 In 10 Songs...

2010-01-02T20:23:00.026Z

I am aware that the convention at this time of year is to compile lists of favourite songs from the previous 12 months, or top tips for the next, but I don't want to. I have however decided to give some thought to my personal top ten listening from 2009...

1. Teenage Riot - Sonic Youth (from Daydream Nation - 1988)
One of the more commercial efforts from the band's late '80s output, Teenage Riot opens with a repeated guitar phrase that veritably glistens. This is joined by a Kim Gordon-recited mantra, before exploding in to a driving, melodic riff.

2. Iamundernodisguise - School of Seven Bells (from Alpinisms - 2008)
A collaboration between Secret Machine's Benjamin Curtis and identical twin vocalists Alejandra and Claudia Deheza, School of Seven Bells released the ethereally beautiful Iamundernodisguise in 2008. A hypnotic, electronic folk song, the track opens the band's debut Alpinisms.

3. Atoms for Peace - Thom Yorke (from The Eraser - 2006)
Arriving late to the party with this album, it didn't take me long to succumb to its introspective magic, aided by the Radiohead revival I was personally going through at the time (it was only after much agonising deliberation that I didn't include a Radiohead song in this list due to the selection of Thom Yorke). I could have included two or three tracks from The Eraser on this list, but have gone for Atoms for Peace. Yorke's melody writing at its best.

4. Efuge Efuge - Stelios Kazantzidis (from ...And all the Pieces Matter, Five Years of Music from The Wire - 2008)
I, like many others, first heard this track during a montage sequence on the fantastic HBO series The Wire. Its vocalist, popular Greek singer Kazantzidis, sounds pained beyond comprehension as he delivers the song's mesmerising refrain.

5. Haikuesque (When She Laughs) - Bibio (from Ambivalence Avenue - 2009)
It's been an eventful year for Warp Records. They celebrated their 20th anniversary, their film company had a major nationwide release, and they blessed the world with Ambivalence Avenue. Again, this is just one of the many tracks that I could have chosen.

6. Blue Ridge Mountains - Fleet Foxes (From Fleet Foxes - 2008)
After the success of first single Mykonos, Fleet Foxes appeared on the radar as part of the so-called 'folk revival' of 2008. None of the other bands coming through on the back of this influx really delivered however, and the self-titled follow up album to Mykonos, Fleet Foxes, took the crown. The song-writing is as refreshing as it is respectful to its fore fathers, and the Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young-type harmonies more than competant.

7. Sugar Water - Cibo Matto (From VIVA! La Woman - 1996)
Japanese expatriates Cibo Matto brought their leftfield take on Hip-Hop/Funk to New York in the early '90s. Their debut, VIVA! La Woman, is packed full of playful lyrics set to the hypnotic prototype Trip-Hop of producer Yuka Honda. Sugar Water is towards the tranquil end of the Cibo Matto cannon.

8. The Race To Be First Home - ISAN
(From Meet Next Life - 2004)
A slice of ambient electronica from English duo ISAN next. This is a charming xylophone-lead track complete with electornic blips and a dizzying,revolving melody line.

9. The Rip - Portishead (From Third - 2008)
The Bristol trip-hop powerhouse that is Portishead released their third album in 2008, keeping up their tradition of making fans wait an excruciating amount of time between albums. Third is a strong effort however, and is worth the wait for The Rip alone, a desolate acoustic track that melds in to a roving synth-led second half.

10. Beaux Dimanches - Amadou & Mariam (From Dimanche a Bamako - 2005)
Mali musicians Amadou & Mariam broke entered the Western conciousness with this Manu Chao-produced album in 2005. Chao's understated touch allows the songwriting and harmonies between the husband and wife duo to come through. Beaux Dimanches also features a memorable and catchy guitar line.

News Backgrounder Feature

2009-12-02T16:18:00.001Z

A short feature based on the news that The Wailers are touring this year. I looked in to other bands that have continued without their most prominant members....

This week sees reggae superstars The Wailers begin the UK leg of their latest tour. Only bass player Aston ‘Family Man’ Barrett survives from the early ‘70s Wailers line-up, but this is not an unusual trend. When groups lose key components, the remaining personnel must decide whether to keep the name (and music) alive. Often audience interest wanes when high profile members are absent.

So is it possible for these continuing bands to remain relevant, or are they in danger of becoming their own tribute acts? In the case of The Wailers, it appears that the former is true. “They put on a great show, with occasional new material,” long-time fan Sian Caulfield explains. “It shouldn’t be considered a bad thing that they wish to keep the Marley name alive.” One of the group’s recent front men, Elan Atias, reinforced this in an interview with State Magazine. “I’m just trying to keep the message going…the most intimidating thing wasn’t ‘replacing Bob’, it was making sure I had all the lyrics”.

Others have thrived after forming new projects, such as Foo Fighters. Martin James is author of ‘Dave Grohl – Nirvana, Foo Fighters and Other Misadventures’ (2004). “At first the success of the Foos was linked to Nirvana, but as they went on people embraced them for what they do. It helps that Grohl is the hardest working man in rock!” he explains.

So the jury’s out. However, one thing is for sure. Due to the band’s evergreen appeal, those lucky enough to catch The Wailers live show won’t be worrying about the absence of Marley, Tosh, or Livingston.

Feature: James Vyner

2009-12-02T16:16:00.001Z

James has set up an online audio tour company for London walks, Soundmap. I discussed this in a feature (approx. 700 words), talking about how he ended up going from achieving reasonable success as a musician to becoming a ‘tour guide’.

James Vyner used to play bass in promising indie-rock outfit Seachange, signed to the Matador label. You might remember them? They were big in Germany. Since leaving he has got married, become a London tour guide, and now plays in a band that sing about their bikes. Curiosity got the better of Audio Addict, so we went to find out more…

Ok, so we weren’t being completely truthful. Vyner is a tour guide of sorts, but very much one for the times. His online-based company, Soundmap, offers downloadable MP3 audio tours of London walks, complete with narration and a musical soundtrack associated with each area. Currently in production is a Fleet Street ‘walk’, based around the recent ‘Sweeney Todd’ film. “We were commissioned to do that by Warner Brothers. We got to interview Tim Burton for that, which was very cool! I got to use the score, and straight away that makes it sound brilliant, makes it sound like you’re in the film” he explains.

So a tour guide with rock and roll credentials maybe? Vyner laughs. “I’ve always had a horrible sensible streak,” he explains. “I once stole a game called ‘Bomberman’ for the ZX Spectrum from Boots in the ‘80s. I went back home and I couldn’t sleep because I felt so bad. The next day I went in on my bike, handed it back to the woman and said, “I’m really sorry I stole it” and then ran out of the shop”.
How about early musical memories? “I remember sitting with my Dad’s copy of Graceland, and listening to ‘You Can Call Me Al’ again and again until learnt all the words. I still know them now…”

Perhaps not then.

Nevertheless, Vyner does have a rock and roll grounding from his time in introspective indie rockers Seachange, achieving reasonable success while based on the Matador label.

The band released two acclaimed records, 2004’s ‘Lay of the Land’ and its 2006 follow-up ‘On Fire, With Love’, the latter making it in to the top fifty albums of 2006 in the German equivalent of Q magazine. The country really took to the band, and the band reciprocated by touring there many times. This led to some insight in to the German psyche. “The last gig we ever did on tour was in this massive venue, we were like “who the hell’s gonna come and see us?” recalls Vyner. “Adam [guitarist] and Dan [vocalist] had gone off to do a local radio interview, and Adam told this story about Dave [guitarist] having a threesome in Paris at some crazy art party. Then at the gig all these people suddenly turned up [dons generic German accent] “which one is Dave? Who’s Dave? The horny guy, yeah?” Dave’s backstage just going “oh my God…”

The transition from rock and roll bass player to virtual tour guide isn’t an obvious one. How did it come about? “It all comes from my skills as an audio editor.” Vyner explains. He recalls talking with Mark Spivey, an arts developer with Leicester Council. Spivey had heard an early Seachange demo that the band had made on a Fostex 16-track, and mentioned that they could probably produce themselves. With that encouragement Vyner started up a studio and recorded bands outside of Seachange, before moving in to teaching at Confetti, a professional studio with educational facilities based in Nottingham. “Those skills developed in to making audio documentaries, audio tours. What I’m best at is editing, so I’m building my business around that.”

By the time Seachange had disbanded, Vyner was already on to his next musical project, joining London-based The Grave Architects. The four-piece currently have a single out about the love they share for their bikes, aptly titled ‘The Bike Song’. “We’re not a comedy band…” he assures us.

Light-hearted maybe? “Yeah…I don’t know. It’s something that Matt [Vocals/guitar] battles with. Secretly I think we probably are a comedy band, although there’s too much emotion to it to be comedy!”

So, Audio Addict is desperate to know, who has the best bike? “I think Matt’s probably is. James [Johnstone, keyboards] doesn’t really like cycling much. That’s why we keep him at the back and don’t let him say much!”

As the conversation has moved on to Grave Architects, who appear to be a much more cheerful outfit, perhaps now is when we should follow journalistic convention and ask something along the lines of which celebrity would Vyner donate a kidney to. “Bill Hicks,” he answers without hesitation. Well, that clears that up.

So how many tour guides do you know that have toured the world signed to a cult indie label, would freely admit to knowing every word to ‘You Can Call Me Al’, and would have donated a kidney to Bill Hicks if needed? “Although a pancreas would probably have been more handy! Oh dear, poor Bill……”

Visit Soundmap at www.soundmap.co.uk

Recents

2009-11-06T01:28:00.003Z

The years of hard work have paid off and the votes have been counted. I am now a Radiohead fan.
I am beginning to find Sir Alex Ferguson's bitterness towards the press delightful. What does that say about me?
I have recently been reminded of the impatience of the French and their tendency to talk in lists.
I am surprised at the lack of a 50 year celebration of Miles Davis' 'Kind of Blue' in the mainstream press. Unless I missed it.
And Andre Agassi's mullet was a wig.

Feature: Taylor

2009-10-20T23:18:00.004+01:00

A Long form feature from my features portfolio, discussing the IDM genre via an interview with artist Taylor.

A dark club. The floor is sticky. Sweat seems to be dripping not just from the mass of twisting dancers, but also the ceiling. The crowd consists of mainly 18 to 30 year olds, all at different levels of intoxication. The beer is warm. At the front a DJ is playing a solid, pounding dance rhythm that organically mutates between major and minor, up-tempo and down, sparse and rich textures. The audience may be dancing in much the same way that it has since the dawn of acid house in the late ‘80s, but something is different. These people are not just moving mindlessly in time to the insistent beat, they are listening. Audio Addict wants to know why…
The heightened level of appreciation is down to the fact that this night is a good example of the rebirth (some may say progression) of Intelligent Dance Music (IDM). Its promoter, the Nottingham-based label Wigflex, is unashamedly paying tribute to the mid ‘90s peak of artists such as The Aphex Twin, LFO, The Future Sound of London etc, and the Warp label to which many of these artists belong. The influence of Warp, who are also believed to have coined the IDM idiom, is strong. The Wigflex collective specialise in twisted, angular electronica that is also at the cutting edge of its scene, incorporating the popular styles of dubstep and drum and bass alongside their more challenging productions.
24-year-old DJ/producer Adam Taylor (AKA Taylor) is a leading figure on the label. His appearances on Wigflex compilations (his own release will appear soon) have always been a highlight. Nottingham-bred, Manchester-based, he produces a distinct brand of complex techno that is designed equally for club and home listening. Taylor’s skill lies largely in his ability to produce complex and harmonically developed music within a genre so reliant on repetition and four-to-the-floor rhythms.

Musical life for Taylor began with the guitar, playing classical from a young age. Becoming more creative with the instrument in his teens he formed a post-rock group, Ad Infinitum, and set about writing epic instrumentals with intricate time signatures and mutating melodic passages. This aspect of his song-writing is present in his current guise as a producer of….well…what genre is it?
“I’ve had a few terms flung my way. Electronica, IDM [Intelligent Dance Music], Melodic Techno, Maximal, TekHaus, call it what you will, my music’s generally got a beat at the core, with colourful melodies and effects”, he says.
It’s that compromise of simplicity and technical complexity that gives Taylor the edge in his field. Is he looking to use some of his past post-rock influences in this way for future projects?
“Much of the electronic music I hear – though the groove and rhythm patterns can be quite diverse – is based around a neat 4/4 beat, which fits dance music sensibilities”, he explains. “I’ve moved away from that with some of my productions. The new project I’m working on – as well as some 4/4 patterns – includes different time signatures, from 3/4 to 7/8. What would you call that?! MathTek?”
The Wigflex camp contains such respected artists as Geiom, Metaphi, and Hizatron. They form a hive of creativity that influences not just their listeners, but also each other. Being part of such an innovative label must have its advantages in terms of staying on top of this ever-mutating genre?
“I owe a great deal of my creative development to this collective”, enthuses Taylor. “I am very excited about everything I’m hearing coming out of Wigflex, but I would say that! The boys are on fire! It’s gathering momentum, we now boast a club night and clothing line too.”

Taylor’s natural enthusiasm for his craft is obvious. A calmly spoken individual with a warm smile, he appears very keen for us to understand every aspect of his music. This includes his production methods, which are based around the powerful Logic Pro software.
“Everything I produce is based around that environment,” he explains. “I’m always on the hunt for new sounds. I’ve got tons of old chip samples, great for glitch noises. I’m also keen to get into field recording for more ambient textures and unusual samples”.
Squeege, his contribution to the latest Wigflex release, is a six minute-plus mutating techno epic. It shows off the young producer’s lack of inhibition regarding the ‘rules’ of song construction, and demonstrates his ability to weave intricate melodic passages in to solid rhythms. The bell-like synths and rhythmic bleeps put us in mind of a more up-tempo ISAN, or perhaps a less aggressive Mouse On Mars. Despite any noticeable hook, Squeege is instantly memorable, and even the briefest of listens through Taylor’s previous material proves that this is not a one-off.

Outside of the Wigflex stable, Taylor is reluctant to be pigeonholed when it comes to discussing his other influences. He mentions a few Warp-based acts, before enthusing about afro-beat king Fela Kuti, and neo-classicists Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff.
“On the whole I don’t appreciate that much dance music. Often it’s way too functional, though there are some gems in there,” he tells us. “My favourite stuff takes plenty of cues from various forms of music and forges a unique blend of styles, not solely a dance music thing.” Does this indicate disenchantment with the genre? “Electronic music embraces new technologies, which develops sounds and styles. There isn’t a best practice for making it, but preference instead. Definitely a good thing,” he reassures us.
Intelligent Dance Music doesn’t necessarily require intelligence to enjoy it, but it is a step in the right direction in terms of development for what can be a fairly restrictive genre. Artists such as Taylor are keeping electronic music moving forward, testing what is possible and pushing accepted boundaries to form new and interesting sub-genres. He leaves us with a warm goodbye, thanking us for our time. As he walks away, Audio Addict suddenly feels safer about the future of dance music.

Wigflex 003, featuring Taylor’s ‘Squeege’, will be released on November 21st

The Road

2009-10-19T15:40:00.001+01:00

Great paragraph from Cormac Mccarthy's 'The Road';

He'd carved the boy a flute from a piece of roadside cane and he took it from his coat and gave it to him. The boy took it wordlessly. After a while he fell back and after a while the man could here him playing. A formless music for the age to come. Or perhaps the last music on earth called up from out of the ashes of its ruin. The man turned and looked back at him. He was lost in concentration. The man thought he seemed some sad and solitary changeling child announcing the arrival of a traveling spectacle in shire and village who does not know that behind him the players have all been carried off by wolves.

Bad Day Defined

2009-10-09T18:25:00.001+01:00

I believe it to be a bad day when, by the end of it, I am more confused about the next one than when I woke up.

The Beatles

2009-10-09T18:24:00.001+01:00

After resisting for so long, I am finally coming round to believing that The Beatles are quite good really, but maybe not necessarily for the reasons with which we are constantly bombarded.........

Moby - 'Play'

2009-10-05T14:32:00.001+01:00

Even though 'Play' still appears to be held in high esteem, and taking in to consideration its saturised use in the advertising world, I was surprised after relistening today how dated it sounds. Not that I don't appreciate the amount that production technology has improved in the last 10 years, but even sitting 'Play' side by side with other albums in a similar vein from the same year it can not compete (Roots Manuva's 'Brand New, Second Hand' and Four Tet's 'Dialogue' being two examples). The drums are tame, the piano sounds hideously flat and MIDI, and the whole thing seems to get by with the use of irritatingly catchy samples. Moby's own voice is questionable, although its qualities are open for debate.

Setup.........

2009-10-02T16:56:00.001+01:00

Testing testing.........