Beady Eye: Live at the Camden Centre

Beady Eye played their finest London gig to date last night. They are band out to prove they have the chops to be in the game still and boy do they get their point across at the Camden Centre, aka the sauna.

When they toured ‘Different Gear, Still Speeding’, most fans, ourselves included, came away having had a decent night out but were left a touch underwhelmed. The swagger was there but the tunes were not. With the release of ‘BE’, their set is now full of mod-rock classics (‘Face In The Crowd’ & ‘I’m Just Saying’) and rock-psyche meets soul belters in ‘Flick Of The Finger’ and ‘Second Bite Of The Apple’.

‘Flick Of The V’s’ makes so much more sense live, as did many Oasis album tracks over the years (‘Hung In A Bad Place’ & ‘Meaning Of Soul’). Live, this song ceases to be just an interesting album opener and becomes a barnstorming epic which is so hypnotic it is irrelevant whether they play Wembley stadium, the Camden Centre or on a two bob Saturday night talent show because it’s a great song.

The themes of musical redemption and ‘let’s not waste our second chance’ run through Beady Eye’s second album. Human nature will inevitably find this heartrending, especially the lyrics from ‘I’m Just Saying’:

‘I’m feeling fine/ This is my time to shine / It’s nearly but it’s not too late / The Future’s getting underway’.

However, TT finds it odd that Beady Eye band feel this way. If they had made two shocking albums and faded away, they still would have been a part of Oasis, Ride, and Heavy Stereo. They would have played some of the most scintillating rock n roll gigs of all time.

So, this cannot be a case of trying to recapture past glories. Gallagher, Bell and Archer were born to be on stage showing no fear. They are the musical equivalent of Mickey Rourke in ‘The Wrestler’. This gig, the new album ‘BE’, they are their top turnbuckle moment amidst a heart attack. Everyone knows they don’t need to do it. They do it because it makes them feel alive and the other option is God’s waiting room. Fuck that!

PS: they played Rock n Roll Star and ‘Morning Glory’.

Jacco Gardner - Cabinet of Curiosities

One of the NME’s tips for 2013 comes from the unlikely source of Nwaag in the Netherlands and judging by Jacco Gardner’s debut album ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ they have backed a winner.

Gardner maybe a child of the 80s but musically he personifies all the great things about the late 60’s boom in rock-psyche music. Former single ‘Clean The Air’ is a sumptuous Syd Barrett number which will have Tame Impala fans flocking to Gardner’s cause. The Barrett comparisons will undoubtedly come thick and fast as ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ continues to grow in popularity. There are however, far more strings to his bow than just Barrett-esque numbers.

‘One Eyed King’ delves into the world of the Beta Band and Steve Mason to produce something of stunning beauty. ‘Where Will You Go’ is the kind of melodic psychadelia Oasis were after with ‘Who Feels Love?’ but never quite grasped on ‘Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants’. It has the big melodic chord and key changes which Noel Gallagher has become synonymous with. The vocals have a gorgeous swirling motion which will inevitably cause the head to nod from start to finish.

The final two tracks of the album, whilst on message with the rest of album, have an uninhibited feel which takes this fine debut to the next level.  ‘Chameleon’ soars to the pop-psyche heights only Pond and Toy have travailed in recent times. The final track ‘The Ballad Of Little Jane’ is given all of Gardner’s superb production skills to yield a modern take on The Beatles’ ‘For The Benefit Of Mr Kite’.

Barring the drums, Gardner plays every instrument heard and produces as well. Every synth you hear is used with clear precision and coated in emotion to give each track sense of narrative which is what sets this album apart from most.

Edwyn Collins - Understated

As many of you are aware, in 2005, Collins suffered a brain haemorrhage - so it is an inspiration that he is making music these days at all. The immediate aftermath of the haemorrhage left Collins able to utter just 4 phrases: 'yes', 'no', 'Grace Maxwell' and 'the possibilities are endless'. If this is sending shivers down your spine then his new album ‘Understated’ certainly will.

The song-writing largely centres on Collins' feelings about having a new lease of life and how he is not going to waste it. So, strap yourselves in, folks, because you will be left an emotional wreck, reviewing everything you are doing with your life by the end of listening.

'Baby Jean' is a cracking soul tune reminiscent of Johnnie Taylor in his pomp. Lyrically, it is very powerful, displaying how music has been a therapeutic and cathartic outlet since recovering from his illness. To hear Collins sing 'I got music to see me through / I got art to ease the pain / I got sunshine on a cloudy day / And I'm going to find a way to understand' is as uplifting as it gets.

Collins' spate of optimism is a constant throughout the album, both lyrically and musically. The Orange Juice number '21 Years' decrees 'What the heck I’m living now' as he questions what the point of his rock ‘n’ roll career has been.

Musically, it is an incredibly soulful record. The opener 'Dilemma' is a northern soul beauty ready to bring home the English summer. 'Carry On, Carry On' has some Elysian Frankie Valli-esque production. Meanwhile, 'In The Now' is the kind of fired up soul meets rock ‘n’ roll number Beady Eye would die to have in their repertoire.

Standing out amidst the Temptations upbeat soul numbers is the sombre 'Down The Line'. Collins reveals the darker sides of piecing his life back together with the jaw-aching lyrics 'I wasn't there to comfort you / I wasn’t there to hold your hand / I wasn’t there to do my thing / The best that I could do'. As a father and husband, Collins clearly felt as though he was a burden during his illness. Anyone who doesn’t gulp a lump down their throat to this song simply isn’t human (or is a Tory, take your pick).

This is a strong contender for album of the year, it’s littered with great soul music and incredible pop sensibilities. Ultimately though, the main triumph here is Collins' ability to reflect on the highs and lows of his remarkable journey from being critically ill back to an idolised musician.