The Moons - Mindwaves

The Moons, led by Paul Weller’s keyboard player Andy Crofts, have returned minus James Bagshaw and Tom Warmsley (now of Temples fame) to release their 3^rd album ‘Mindwaves’. The band, forever bridesmaids with support slots of Beady Eye, OCS and currently The Rifles, have yet another crack stepping into the limelight.

Their previous two albums have been radio friendly mod tunes which accentuate Crofts’ crooning vocals. ‘Mindwaves’ however, sees the band take a more aggressive Miles Kane approach towards all things mod.

The more aggressive songs come in the shape of ‘Body Snatchers’ and ‘You Can’t Slow Me Down’. ‘Body Snatchers’ combines the chemical world of Moon Duo and the melodic nature of Miles Kane to create a fuzzy glam rock number. Meanwhile, ‘You Can’t Slow Me Down’ utilises odd yet melodic production often associated with Graham Coxon alongside classic rock n roll song writing. At the point of the guitar solo, this production allows it to develop without feeling like regurgitated shite (remember Viva Brother!!!). Despite the big sonic leap Moons fans (of which TT is one) will be left wondering why Crofts vocals are not allowed to shine as they are clearly the star of the show.

The Moons have always wore their classic English pop influences on their sleeves and ‘Mindwaves’ is no different. The Beatles pulse through the veins on ‘On The Moon’. Crofts’ high pitched vocals are a beautiful tribute to McCartney on ‘She’s Leaving Home’. On ‘Heart and Soul’, they channel their love of Bolan and Bowie’s glam era. Both tracks do nothing to make you skip them but ultimately, if your influences are the best in the business your work needs to be of Noel Gallagher standards or listeners will just put a Bowie or Beatles record on instead.

What is lacking on those two songs is out in full force on ‘Sometimes’ and ‘Times Not Forever’, easily their best work to date. ‘Sometimes’ slows the pace enough for Crofts vocals to work in tandem with the new found production values rather than contrast. ‘Times Not Forever’, does raise the tempo but the production values are subtle and serve to lift the guitars and the killer bassline which surges  through this Small Faces meets Ty Seegal gem.

‘Mindwaves’, technically is the difficult third album and not all of it components work. However, there is plenty to revere here and we urge people to invest because TT senses the next album will be their masterpiece with ambitious production and classic songwriting working as one.

Childhood - Lacuna

This decade has witnessed two (amongst others) trends in rock music; one is the otherworldly rock-psyche and the other is beach-rock, often associated with Sub Pop Records. Both strands have produced some good albums but have rarely united the people, which is hardly surprising considering the politics of divide and conquer are in full swing. Nothing lasts forever however and Childhood, a Nottingham via South London four piece, are the first step towards uniting fans, their feelings and guitar music. Here’s why: 

Their debut album ‘Lacuna’ is littered with many influences. For many, this is detrimental to what they are trying to achieve or the sign of a bad producer. For Childhood though, it’s part of the appeal and they should be lauded for incorporating the varying strands of indie into their vision. There are several occasions where Real Estate and Primal Scream circa ‘Sonic Flower Groove’ jingle jangle guitars comes to the fore, as does the beach-rock sounds of Two Wounded Birds and Wavves. Furthermore, there is a lot of dreamy psyche music filtering its way through a-la Tame Impala and Pond with a smidge of the stoner guitar playing of Nick McCabe circa ‘Storm In Heaven’. You must be frothing at the gums knowing this now, right?

The guitars on this record reveal an awful lot about Childhood. Ben and Leo have the talent to turn to any strand of indie music it would appear. ‘Pay For Cool’ is an anomaly on the album because of its immediacy. It has an early Stokes-esque riff and changes pace often, which really draws you in.

‘You Could Be Different’ moves away from the more radio friendly sound and delivers a Tame Impala psyche affair but to the classic ‘verse, chorus’ formula and the solo is deranged and yet inherently catchy, like Doves at their best.  ‘When You Rise’ is another signifier of their ability. ‘When You Rise’ has an explosion of guitars two thirds in which have the band on the cusp of something magical but begs the question ‘will they produce it?’

Two songs answer this question, ‘Solemn Skies’ and ‘As I Am’. ‘Solemn Skies’ is a stomping 60s psyche number which is taken to the next level by Hopcraft’s angelic vocals. He has the fragility of Bobby Gillespie which will endear you to him but, before you know it, he is driving the melody forward with his great ability to be powerful yet understated at the same time. This is replicated beautifully by the guitars. At several points they conjure a desperate need of release and when it arrives is ecstasy. For the first time in a long time, a band appear to be connecting the dots between the mire going on around ordinary people and giving them an escape route in guitar music.

‘As I Am’ for TT, is the standout track on this fine debut. Musically it is so blissful we are not sure Bipolar Sunshine didn’t write it for them. It is quite a gear change for the band musically where the guitars are supplementing the beat and dreamy synths rather than the other way round. Hopcraft again excels vocally. He sounds like Arthur Lee on MDMA, floating around a festival without a care in the world. The real beauty of this song is that lyrically, it’s really dark. It’s a tale of a lover who is begging their partner to understand them and join them in love, and the pain of this is like no other as I’m sure all readers are aware.

TT thinks that ‘Definitely Maybe’ is the greatest album of all time and probably always will do. However, part of its legacy has been for people to expect the world from a debut album. In this review we have pondered whether Childhood wants to make it to the top. Is this unfair pressure to put on a band? We have to lean towards yes, as so many bands are cut loose after their first album. This album is a terrific debut album. It’s never going to feature in people’s top 10s, but if Childhood is given space and time to develop, we can envisage them making albums which can threaten people’s top 10s. They have already displayed a great array of style and have been on the cusp of some magical guitar moments on ‘Lacuna’. Importantly, they, along with Peace, appear to be taking guitar music back to a popular consciousness which can only be a good thing.

Mazes - Wooden Aquarium

The Manchester three piece returned last month with their third helping ‘Wooden Aquarium’ and TT is on hand to check it out. The latest outing witnesses Mazes’ love of 1990s lo-fi US indie once more but a turn towards a more polished pop sound is helping them tread yet more exciting new ground.

The manoeuvre towards a mod-cum-psyche direction is reminiscent of their peers Toy and Foxygen. What gives them the edge is the ability to combine their previous Teenage Fanclub dirge-pop sound with the new direction. ‘Letters Between U&V’, ‘Mineral Springs’ and ‘Salford’ are prime exponents of this.

‘Letters Between U&V’ delivers a riff worthy of Teenage Fanclub or the Lemonheads but with a crispness that the aforementioned Toy have trail blazed with in the previous years. The motorik beat allows them to meander between the two styles. The grouping of sullied US indie and English Mod-psyche together is unusual on paper but in practice it works. So button up your Fred Perry and grow your hair long, anything goes!

‘Mineral Springs’ witnesses Jack Cooper’s vocals at their best. They are angelic and wrap around the driving guitar loops with a quality that Bobby Gillespie was searching for on Primal Scream’s ‘Gentle Tuesday’. Meanwhile, ‘Salford’ has a style similar to the Pixies’ ‘Gigantic’ with male and female vocals working in tandem, whilst the guitars are a comparable to David Tattersall’s Wave Pictures. All that said, Mazes are their own band with their own sound and the influences act like the great flms of Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright; great if you get them but if you don’t it’s still a great film.

To just talk about the merging of these styles would be a disservice to the creativity elsewhere on the album. ‘Explode Into Colo(u)rs’ sounds like a mellowed out Graham Coxon, whereas, ‘RIPP’ has a Pixies via James Yorkston feel, combining spoken word vocals with a dreamy semi-consciousness. 

Fans of the first two albums will revel in the more uninhibited ‘Universal Me’ and ‘Stamford Hill’. These two have the aggression of their earlier work but, now they come with an additional surging For TT though, the standout track is ‘Stamford Hill’. It encapsulates everything the band is now about. It blends the lo-fi angst of their previous work with the new nods towards motorik much like rest of the album. However, on this song they get the energy and free flowing sound they create conjure a sense of lawlessness one can completely lose them in.

In recent times we have witnessed bands such as Wild Beasts, The Maccabees and Jamie T all produce their best work on their 3rd album and ‘Wooden Aquarium’ is no different. For any record label considering signing bands, we implore you to believe in them and let them grow. ‘Wooden Aquarium’ is another fine example of the quality which can be achieved if bands are allowed to go about their business as they please. Go. Buy. It. Now.
 

Bo Ningen – III

In 2012 Bo Ningen announced themselves to the UK as the most badass thing around with their second album ‘Line The Wall’. It was a spectacular display of uninhibited rock ‘n’ roll that was going to be a tough act to follow.

‘III’ opens with ‘Da Da Da’, which has has explosive drums, spiky vocals and catchy riffs reminiscent of ‘Soko’ and ‘Daikaisei’ from their previous helping ‘Line The Wall’. ‘Da Da Da’ though, treads new paths with the interludes of escapism driven by the guitars. They are dreamier than their predecessors, Mercury Rev, on speed.

The subtle new direction they have taken is again evident on ‘Psychedelic Misemono Goya (reprise)’. The initial moments of the song plod along with Japanese vocals, building up the suspense before you’re hit with the release. On ‘Line The Wall’, this would have been followed by an explosion of noise and euphoria. Here though, rather than a big gear change was cruise control, it allows the garage rock element of the track to remain throughout like a dance beat whilst the more idyllic noises are allowed the freedom to float in, out and over the top at will.

The new direction of this album might not be encased in the fall to the floor excitement of yesteryear, but this is still an album of intensity and vision. ‘III’ has a feel of The Clash’s ‘Give Em Enough Rope’, it won’t be your favourite album by the band but it will be one to revisit.

Thou Shalt Always Get Better

In 2007, the Skins generation was given a much needed voice and a sound to follow into battle. Dan Le Sac vs Scroobius Pip combined social commentary and hip hop with elements of nu-rave and dance culture to create something truly unique and at Bestival this year, they called time on their partnership. So, TT wants to take a look at their journey and the impact they have made.

Hearing ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ for the first time was a life changing event for many, this writer included. I’m sure I wasn’t the only one in 2007, who after university was stuck in a rut feeling like the world was full up for anyone with ideas of change.

Dan Le Sac’s aggressive sound combined with Pip’s lyrics provided the perfect tonic for anyone needing proof that the future is unwritten. Reputable journalists still talk about the time Joe Strummer sang ‘finally Beatle mania has bitten the dust’ on The Clash’s ‘London Calling’. ‘Thou Shalt Always Kill’ has this power. To hear Pip list the greatest bands of all time and proclaim they are ‘just a band’ is the modern day equivalent of being told ‘here are 3 chords, now go write a song’. 

However, we don’t want this retrospective to be about just one song though, so, we are going to make it about two songs (for the record, they have 3 killer albums together!!!!!) When Pulp headlined Reading festival in 2011, Jarvis said before playing ‘Common People’, “if Pulp are only ever remembered for this song, I don’t care it’s a good song.” ‘Get Better’ should have been that song for Dan and Scroob. Everything about this song is beautiful. Vocals, synths, lyrics, delivery, everything! Perhaps the most poignant moment of the song comes from the Billy Bragg reference:

‘Like Billy says / Whether you have or have not wealth / The system might fail you / But don’t fail yourself’.

This line becomes prominent in hindsight because the system seemingly failed them. XFM has given Pip a show recently but where was the airplay? How can the Mercury Music Prize be taken seriously when all 3 of their albums were overlooked?

We don’t want to end on a sour note though. Standing in the big top tent at Bestival with 12,000 fellow fans was a moment to cherish forever. Watching Pip perform amidst a frenzied crowd and Dan deliver his trademark banter and technical wizardry will live long in the memory. This might have been the end of their double act but there is too much creativity in their fingertips for their future projects to be silenced as well.

The Crookes – Soapbox

The Sheffield four piece returned in April with their 3rd installment ‘Soapbox’. As they are about to end their current UK tour we revisit what is surely to be a mainstay in the end of year top 10 polls.

Last year’s ‘Hold Fast’ album saw the band adopt a more aggressive attitude to their exploration of US rock n roll music. The opener ‘Play Dumb’ begins with said combative guitars but also adopts synths which evoke memories of The Cure circa ‘Pornography’. These subtle touches pop up throughout the album demonstrating yet another step up in class from the band.

As ever with the Crookes, the lyrics are fantastic. Daniel Hopewell has consistently churned out the goods but on ‘Soapbox’ he has hit top form. ‘Echolalia’ is a melancholic look at repeating the same mistakes whilst attempting to move on from a former love:

‘I should brush aside what The Strangers tell me,

That those on the outside are born to be lonely,

Still I keep chasing the cheap fix ‘til I wake from this crisis on my own,

My mind unfolds and I resolve to forget her but still I hear the echoes come the low.’

Songwriter Hopewell’s sorrow laden take on the human condition to belong and simultaneously be individualistic is a triumph and should be heard by everyone!

For anyone who, in the naivety of youth fell so hopelessly in love they had no idea what the rest of the world was up to then ‘Holy Innocents’ is a must listen. Not since Kevin Sampson’s ‘Stars Are Stars’ novel has a young burning love been so intelligibly illustrated:

 ‘I just wanna hide like holy innocents,

I met you at the fountain outside the station,

Nothing else mattered ‘cept dumb conversation

Our world in holy innocence’

The piece de resistance of the album and the track that sums up The Crookes more than any other is ‘Outsiders’. This is an anthem for anyone who treads the snakebite sodden floors of their indie disco and sinks too many red stripes at the local 200 capacity gig venue. If anyone ever wanted to make a mix-tape to depict the character of Jimmy from Quadrophenia this track has to be on it.

The current cultural climate is far less tribal than the era or mods, rockers, punks and skins but this only serves to make this song better. It is easy for a wolf to don some sheep’s clothing these days but make no mistakes, The Crookes are the real deal. Also, in Hopewell they have lyricist who should be given as much airtime as possible so his words can make you laugh, cry and inspired.

Fat White Family – Champagne Holocaust

Fat White Family hail from Brixton and have gathered a lot of attention because of their offensive lyrics and their so called deadbeat look. Frankly, they are what bands always used to look like when starting out. Skint. All the best bands have been on the breadline at some stage so here’s hoping are another one.

The album opens with Auto Neutron, which, for our money is the standout track. The genius of this song lies within Saul Adamczewski’s guitar playing. Adamczewski has all the rock psyche skills of Hookworms’ MB but also has a rhythm similar to Wave Pictures David Tattersall, both of which never lose sight of a good melody when letting loose. 



It’s not all about Adamczewski’s axe skills though. The vocals, especially on ‘It’s Raining In Your Mouth’ are the definition of cool. They combine the ‘I’m not bothered’ attitude of Johnathon Richman with a throatier version of Lou Reed. Bliss!

Another part of their charm is the outrageous lyrical content. Many articles have pinned them down as anarchists or intentionally antagonistic. For our money, they are just a bunch of mates with dark humour pissing around. Why else would you accuse Bobby Davro of shooting Lee Harvey Oswald? 

Throughout the album there are nods to Iggy (Wild American Prairie) and The Velvet Underground. Many attempt to use these icons as influences but few succeed. With Fat White Family though, you get the impression their influences are going to change like the wind as the years roll on by. Their ramshackle approach gives you a sense they are willing to try and do anything that they are into, it just so happens they have framed the majority of this album in this context. ‘Borderline’ and ‘Garden Of Numb’ are prime examples of this. Rather than continue down the road of Iggy and the Velvets, they sound like recordings made at 3am in a squat. The confidence to commit this kind of track to record is to be lauded in an epoch of short lived careers. If more bands could exhume this breed of self-determination then the British rock scene would undoubtedly become centre of the world again. 

Elbow live at the 02

Tonight is Elbow’s 3^rd sell out appearance at London’s 02 Arena. That, in itself is one hell of a feat when you consider how difficult it is for a down-tempo indie band to get airplay on any radio station these days.

When they first played the 02 in 2011, it was a cause for celebration. Everyone was jubilant the humble mancunians had finally hit the big time. 3 years on, this reporter was wondering what they could do to produce the magic of similar to those gigs.

The answer comes in the form of the word intimacy. This reporter has been enthralled by Suede, Noel Gallagher and The Verve at the 02 but the corporate setting always left a feeling of detachment between band and crowd. Elbow, through the wit of Guy Garvey and the richness of the ballads, transport you to the ballroom of a holiday camp you cherished as a kid with loved ones all around.

The warmth they generate is astonishing, especially when you consider songs like ‘Fly Boy Blue/Lunette’ and ‘The Night Will Always Win’. These are tales of loss of Garvey’s closest friends and are so personal it’s impossible to not relay his emotions to you own experiences of loss, something which never gets any easier no matter how much time passes.

The set is closed with the inspiring ‘Lippy Kids’ and the euphoric ‘One Day Like This’. Both tracks are so awe inspiring you would be hard pressed to find anyone who walked away tonight in anything other than a state of glee. One onlooker was heard saying ‘it was even better than Wet, Wet, Wet’, so, there you have it.

New Band Spotlight: Emperor Yes

Emperor Yes are a 3 piece from London. They recently played at the Barfly as part of John Kennedy’s XFM Xposure night. Although in their fledgling stages, TT has no doubt that they will soon be considered space-rock and multi layered rock royalty along with The Flaming Lips and The Postal Service.

At the end of Feb they released their latest single. Here is our review:

End Of The World

If only more pop music was as good as this. The music and vocals are drenched in sunshine and optimism but underneath, lies the depressing theme of Armageddon . The London trio are clearly inspired by Flaming Lips, this track could be on their classic ‘VOID’ album and not be out of place. Compliments cannot come much higher than that!

Don’t They Know

The b-side is a lot more experimental and nowhere near as catchy. It is like Tame Impala exploding inside Wayne Coyne’s mind whilst he was listening to Air and Hot Chip.  

The Rifles – None The Wiser

The original Chingford quartet is reunited for their fourth album and it has paid dividends. ‘None The Wiser’ is not their most riotous affair but is definitely the most accomplished. The album is an amalgamation of the bullish ‘No Love Lost’ and ‘Great Escape’ and the luscious production of the third instalment ‘Freedom Run’. 

The opening three songs embody this combination perfectly. ‘Minute Mile’ opens with an angular riff which launched the likes of The Rifles, The Rakes and Milburn back in 2007. As it’s the only one of its type on the album, it is a refreshing look back on the late 00s indie boom. ‘Heebie Jeebies’ follows which, is more akin to their earlier raucous tunes like ‘The General’ or ‘Local Boy’. Up third is ‘Go Lucky’, a rapturous indie gem circumnavigated via The Jam. 

These three tracks are more than just a rehash of the past though. All have their own nuances and idiosyncrasies breathing new life into the classic Rifles sound. In merging their previous styles they have created a start to album which eases fans in before they truly set off down new paths. 

‘Catch Her In The Rye’ is the standout track which treads new ground. It begins with a Talking Heads riff and drifts away with a blissful yet resolute ninety second reprise. This venture is the perfect soundtrack to a tale of an elder informing someone they need to do more to succeed in life. Elsewhere on the album, the song writing embraces Dylan-esque harmonicas (‘All I Need’) and new found sense of melancholy on ‘The Hardest Place To Find Me’. 

The aforementioned ‘Hardest Place To Find Me’ is a splice of indie gold that only The Rifles can produce and a feat they rarely credited for. Being repressed is arguably one of England’s biggest social diseases. So, when a band write a song about the subject matter and get the tone bang on they should be lauded. However, unless your singing in a generic high pitched squeal, your yesterday’s news to the mainstream music press (Mojo aside, they gave a decent review of the album in January). 




Joel and Lucas have always written great love songs. For a band associated with football, boozing and The Jam, they are really classicist romantics at heart. Their debut album featured ‘When I’m Alone’, a venous anthem about unrequited love. ‘The Great Escape’ had the hit single that never was ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (it was featured in Gavin & Stacey at least ninety seven times) and third album ‘Freedom Run’, is almost exclusively about the theme in some form. Yet despite such an easy on the ear subject matter, no airplay comes for them. They are living proof that post-Oasis, the industry doesn’t want real people running amok spoiling their marketing meetings. Maybe they’re afraid their clear desk policies will be used for snorting all their coke we just don’t know. 

This album, for TT, is a triumph. It has anthems to sing to, it has production of such quality, it will keep surprising you on every listen. The only criticism is that they haven’t got any songs which would rate nine or ten out of ten but with every song a solid seven or eight there is enough excitement and quality hear to keep The Rifles flag flying high and hoping they catch a break like Frank Turner did couple of years back. Only through word of mouth can The Rifles achieve the success they deserve, so drag your mates, missus or dad out to the next tour. They will not be disappointed. 

XFM XPOSURE: Sam Duckworth Live @The Barfly

It seems odd to think of this gig as a triumphant new beginning as Duckworth has been around for a while as Get Cape Wear Cape Fly but it certainly has an air of victory about it. He has recently signed to the great Alcopop Records and is desperate to repay their faith. So much so he is oddly nervous and tentative about his trademark between song rants. For the tightly packed crowd however, this was another affirmation of the Essex boys ingenuity.

TT last saw Duckworth under his own guise in the New Cross Inn back in 2011. It was cracking little set but very sombre. The songs from ‘Mannequin’ are beautifully melancholy and suited the one man and his guitar performance. This outing witnesses a full band in tandem and at times with two sax players, two backing singers and two violinists. The new crew lift the older songs ‘Mannequin’ and in particular ‘Nights’. With the band behind him, this number grew into a dark force of nature and became incredibly spellbinding.

For TT, the two best songs from ‘Mannequin’ are the solemn and sombre ‘Angels’ and ’18 to 1’. Duckworth thankfully plays these without the band and the achingly beautiful melancholy tone shines through, leaving an audience emotionally exhausted and stunned at the power of one man and a guitar. 

Duckworth’s new material goes down well tonight. His songwriting remains firmly in a purple patch as he stretches himself to filter in influences by Elvis Costello and Belle and Sebastian. It is always inspiring to see an established artist challenging themselves, so, how apt that his protegee Sean McGowan is in the audience to witness this showing. We couldn't think of a better guy for Sean to be mentored by or one we hope they collaborate with in the future.

Also on the bill were soon Radstewart and Emperor Yes. Radstewart’s frontman is a joy to behold. Full of dark humour and irony he is a dead cert to become an icon for a generation. He appears to be bored half the time like The Cribs’ Ryan Jarman but no-one in the audience can take their eyes off him. Adding to that, he has a sublime voice which sounds like Art Brut’s Eddie Argos and Stephen Malkmus. TT predicts a big future.

Emperor Yes were a breath of fresh air as they put the fun back into indie music. They are evidently hail from the school of Flaming Lips and Postal service which, lets face it, is always a good thing. As John Kennedy said after their set ‘who thought a song about wasps could be so goo’. Here Here.

Linda Thompson – It Won't Be Long Now

Linda Thompson has been an integral part of British folk music since 1972, when she teamed up with former husband Richard Thompson. Richard, became celebrated for his attacks on political hypricosy and fame/ meanwhile, Linda, was carving out a unique and brilliant niche as folks foremost melancholy voice. In 2013, she returned with her 4^th solo album ‘Won’t Be Long Now’ which is littered with more songs about heart ache and the sense of romantic isolation.

The album begins with ‘Love’s For Babies and Fools’ and features aforementioned ex-husband Richard features on guitar. However, with this track, and most of the album, it is Linda’s sublime voice which is the main attraction. In her 67^th year, she has developed a slightly deeper tone which adds to the bitterness and despondent lyrical content effortlessly. Memories of 1975’s ‘Pour Down Like Silver’ album will come rushing back Thompson yet again makes the bleak incredibly listenable.

‘Never The Bride’, is a tale told spanning 3 years of the same female protagonist from the age of 16 to 18. Each verse recounts a growing sense of pain and despair as she meddles with an adulterer, a deserter and a failed engagement.

‘If I Were A Bluebird’, deals with yet another sailor who has left for shores afar and thus creating a realm of loneliness to bring a lump to any throat. Thompson’s protagonist longs to have the ability soar into the sunset after her lover(s) as they always leave never to return.

The album has tracks like ‘Never Put To Sea Boys’ and ‘Paddy’s Lamentation’ which are bland and lack emotive influence. This is a pity as the songs ‘Never The Bride’ and ‘If I Were A Bluebird’ are so highly charged they will leave you emotionally exhausted.

The album is not without a lighter note or two though. On ‘As Fast As My Feet’, there 3 generations of Thompson’s in action. Her three children and grandchild Zak Hobbs combine with Linda to produce verses akin to the Ocean Colour Scene’s classic ‘This Day Should Last Forever’ and a guitar solo worthy of David Crosby and Roger McGuinn at their Sunkist best.

The family affair continues on the album closer ‘It Won’t Be Long Now’ which was written by son Teddy. It is very light of touch and strolls along carefree to leave you in a happy state of mind.

Nevertheless, this album, on the whole deals with bleak and forlorn characters which draw empathy from the coldest of hearts. Linda Thompson is notoriously shy of the spotlight but this helping deserves everyone’s attention. A triumph!

New Band Spotlight – High Hazels

In recent years, Sheffield has seemingly taken Manchester’s place as the musical capital of Britain. It has produced a fine array of bands such as Arctic Monkeys, Hey Sholay, The Crookes, Low Duo, Reverend and The Makers, Standard Fare…..we could go on and on!

Well, now they have one more. High Hazels are a group of school friends from the steel city who, only have two songs online to date. ‘Hearts Are Breaking’ oozes class and charm to such an extent; you would think this is from an outfit on their 3^rd or 4^th album.

James Leesy’s vocals are the star of the show. They sit somewhere in the middle of his Sheffield counter parts Richard Hawley and The Crookes’ George Waite. This mid-range tone is perfect for this light footed indie number, as it floats effortlessly among the clouds.

TT suspects that when the mood turns sour, Leesy’s tones are going to create something truly unique, and when they turn to themes of heartbreak, eeesh, they are going to churn stomachs.

Top 10 Albums of 2013: 5-1

5. British Sea Power - Machineries Of Joy

It seems insane to think British Sea Power’s debut ‘The Decline In British Sea Power’ was released ten years ago. A decade on, they have released their 5^th studio album: ‘Machineries Of Joy’. The punkier numbers have mellowed somewhat but their beauty and grandeur remain large on an album which celebrates the classic BSP sound fans have come to know and love.

However, ‘Hail Holy Queen’ is one of the few tracks which deviate from the classic BSP sound this album generates. The strings will drift you out to sea without a care in the world; meanwhile Hamilton’s vocals are gloriously sweet and reminiscent of Mercury Rev’s David Barker.

But back to basics: ‘Loving Animals’ takes BSP’s love of Bowie to his electro/Berlin phase. What is fantastic about this song reflects what is great about this entire album. You can hear BSP’s influences from start to finish but at no point is any track a pastiche or parody. The final minute exemplifies this with the trippy Neu-esque guitars which are accompanied by vocals worth of Mark E Smith at his insatiable best.

Quite often with British Sea Power records one or two numbers are up-tempo punk rock anthems and mark themselves out as instant classics. On ‘Machineries Of Joy’ however everything is far more tranquil. ‘When You Need It Most’ is a sumptuous ode to Richard Hawley’s ‘Coles Corner’ material and the great Walker Brothers singles of the late 60s. ‘A Light Descending Above’ recalls the rock prowess of ‘Open The Door’ but with a sombre Robert Wyatt circa ‘Shipbuilding’ approach.

Ultimately this is an album for the dedicated British Sea Power fans out there. It is as though the lads have hit the studio with the idea: ‘let’s make a British Sea Power record’. There’s no messing around with new formulas here, but it is not a step back by any means. The quality of every track - we repeat, every track - is so high it is impossible for it to be anything other than a triumph.

Finally, what really excites TT about this is album is the feeling that the next one will be like witnessing a fully charged BSP going into a glorious battle, armed only with electric guitars and massive amps.

4. Suede – Bloodsports

Welcome back to the fold of being the dogs bollocks! ‘A New Morning’ was a whimpering exit from a band that produced 3 of the best 90s albums. They returned in 2011 for a greatest hits tour which culminated in a stunning Royal Albert Hall performance. As with true creative people though, regurgitating is not enough.

Album opener ‘Barriers’ will have die-hard fans giddy. The catchy riffs and synths of their youth are in full swing and Anderson’s vocals once again cart you off to feral landscapes. This song kind of sums up the entire album as it crosses the murky brilliance of ‘Heroin’ and pop sensibilities of ‘Trash’ to form a bridge between their 2^nd and 3^rd albums.

Lead-off single ‘It Starts And Ends With You’ feels like Anderson and Osman laying to bed former single ‘Obsessions’. ‘Obsessions’ is not a bad tune in isolation, but when stood next to ‘Animal Nitrate’, ‘Beautiful Ones’ or ‘A New Generation’, it sounds weak and half-hearted. ‘It Starts And Ends With You’ however, has Anderson snapping the lyrics out with a new found aggression and there is a tightness which it gives it a live sound. Lyrically, it is a reminder to the world that nobody writes battered and bruised love songs as well as Bret Anderson:

Shout out but it just spins faster,

Crawl up but my knees are water,Cling on by my nails to the sweet disaster
And then I fall to the floor like my strings are cut,Pinch myself but I don't wake up,Spit in the wind cause too much is not enough,It starts and ends with you,

The third single from the album ‘For The Strangers’ is another triumph. A glorious ballad to rival ‘By The Sea’ and ‘Saturday Night’. For all Anderson’s wonderful gutter imagery of lovers in the past, this track uses is simple imagery. Some may argue that Anderson has lost touch with his gutter past, but, we TT believe it is a show of maturity, to recognise that the music can signify all the meaning on a song like this.

All in all ‘Bloodsports’ doesn’t have a bad track on and is there for old and new fans to explore and admire. What it fails at, is reinventing the wheel. There is nothing on the album which will make you think ‘wow, that’s new for Suede’. Nevertheless, they reinvented the wheel with their first 3 albums. Being in there 40’s, ‘Bloodsports’ was like the last Rocky film. Proving to themselves and fans alike that the fire still burns and the magic is still there.

3. Toy – Join The Dots

In age and when debuts are lauded and follows up are maligned at best and ignored at worst, Toy have delivered a treat of second album. it is derivative of the first album for sure, but, every track signifies progress in some form. ‘Join The Dots’ is a prime example of a label (Heavenly Records in this case) giving a band the freedom to go out and achieve exactly what they want. Here’s why.

‘We Won’t Be The Same’ begins musically as a sumptuous ode to The Byrds circa ‘The Notorious Byrds Brothers’. Vocally there is more than a casual nod to the Velvet Underground and the chorus has joyous nodes to early Pink Floyd. The influences are great to hear but after half way, Toy make this record their own with their ability to impel you onwards in a state of blissed out rock psyche like no other at present.

The two standout tracks are the title song ‘Join The Dots’ and ‘To A Death Unknown’. On ‘Join The Dots’ the guitar parts become gloriously frenzied near the end and the synths build to a point where you fear for your speakers safety. Whereas, the bassline pumps along subtly but always forcefully, something Kasabian could do with considering.

‘To A Death Unknown’ is a different affair altogether. This feels like the beginning of something new for the band. All their classic incorporeal notes are present but this feels like a slow walk towards creating a pop classic. Let’s be clear, a pop classic this is not but there is a more simple structure in place and if the vocals had a bit more aggression, then crowds would be singing along in full voice. Heck, let’s all fantasises about what would happen if Stephen Street was behind the desk for their third album. The traces of Marc Bolan on this track and ‘Endlessly’ could become more powerful than you can possibly imagine (yes we know that’s Obi Wan Kenobi).

The self-titled debut from Toy was a battle between noise-psyche and 60s melodies which, at the time, everyone thought they got just right. However, on the release of ‘Join The Dots’ it’s obvious this was not the case. ‘TOY’ lacked the power and authority that ‘Join The Dots’ possesses. This album is a triumph of all that Toy are. TT hopes the next album will be a triumph for all that they are yet to be.

2. The Holy Orders - For Ears of Dogs to Come

Tom Robinson hailed The Holy Orders as the best new band from Hull on BBC6 recently and on this helping, it is a tag that will soon be extended to the UK. Their debut ‘For Ears of Dogs to Come’ is bristling with raw riffs and vocals akin to James Dean Bradfield circa ‘The Holy Bible’. This combination certainly makes for exciting stuff.

They open with the ambitious ‘Walk/Don’t Walk’. At times it is a raucous rock song which Pulled Apart By Horses fans will love and at other times it is almost an acapella. Guitar music has had terrible PR in recent times, largely because too many seem not to care enough. The Holy Orders, as can be seen on this opening track certainly do. It is disparate track, but, it upholds an anger and intensity throughout and will inevitably restore your faith in bands.

‘Deviants’ is an underground classic waiting to happen. What it lacks in evolution it makes up for with sheer brilliance and undeniable passion. It’s big catchy riffs and vocals which can be easily sung along to will hook audiences straightaway. The guitar parts and solo hold all the drama however. They also lack innovation, but they are great and they sound like they are made by men who had to do this, by men who needed to pour this emotion and creativity from their pores or face a life of regret.

Former single ‘Paper/Scissors/Stone’ is cracking pop song. It has short spikey riffs, references to The Beatles and ‘The Girl From Ipanema’ and a high pitched ‘oooooooo’ in the chorus for everyone to join in with. This is what so many alternative music lovers are crying out to see in the charts. Surely there is room to have the bland pop of Bieber and Britney alongside the eccentric power of The Holy Orders in 2014?

‘Retina Burns’, is a remarkable feat for such a fledgling band, especially the final minute of the track. The flurry of guitars provide that escapist feeling that only rock music can and the aggression used to achieve this would have Richey Edwards and Nicky Wire nodding in approval.

‘To The Gallows’ lets the album down slightly. The change in pace is welcomed as this is an album of feverish tempo and lighter note would have gone down a treat. Unfortunately though, the rip roaring rage and fury which surged through the veins of the previous tracks seems to have evaporated. TT is convinced this is a mere hiccup; one that no-one should care about either at this stage of their career. Let’s have 3 jaw dropping, fist smashing, gut wrenching albums before we get all soppy and bring the choirs in.

One thing for sure is, commercial stations, if they have any chops at all, will get behind The Holy Orders and unite rock and indie fans behind the 4 piece from Hull.

1. Primal Scream – More Light

Well, here we are at the illustrious number position. What an album, and what a return for Primal Scream. After a few years away touring their seminal album ‘Screamadelica’, many thought they were done and dusted. Not a bit of it! ‘More Light’ is as timely as it is genius, full of political bite, Led Zeppelin cameos and fucked up saxophones, the Scream are better than ever before.

We can only start at with the album opener, the single of the year, 2013. Without a shadow of a doubt this is the best song of 2013. From the moment the deranged keys drop its clear things are about to take off. The Scream has always been able to take listeners on a trip and this 9minute venture is no different. My Bloody valentine mastermind Kevin Shields features on guitar and how! Shields, along with Scream’s own Andrew Innes, have created the musical equivalent of a blizzard on this record. The guitars swirl in different directions simultaneously like the great work of Tame Impala and Pond of recent times but they have an added hostility which sets them apart. What is truly great about the music on the ‘2013’ though is the saxophone. It’s twisted and immediate and it drags the track into the realm of punk and classicist rock n roll that only Primal Scream can produce.

Lyrically, this song is as on the money today as 'Loaded' and 'Come Together' were in 1991. Gillespie has always had a seditious side but lyrically this has to be a career high. The lyrics are combustible from start to finish, attacking everything from rebels who sold out to the privileged elite who expect to rule. Trying to find examples of lyrics to discuss is usually simple, select a stanza and away you go. In ‘2013’ though, every word is anarchistic, rebellious and venomous rendering example selection impossible.

After 9 ferocious minutes of '2013', something is needed to calm things down and ‘River Of Pain’ is that remedy. The melodic acoustic guitars rattle along with a sublime riff in tandem with a softer, almost spoken vocal. Despite slowing things down, this is not a ballad to lighten the mood. This is a song of despair and anguish, confirming their status as the number one outlaws in town. Albert Camus must be looking on very fondly!

Lighter relief does come on the album closer ‘It’s Alright, It’s Ok’. This is the archetypal Scream meets Rolling Stones track. It is ‘Movin’ On Up’ crossed with ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’. Nothing new you might say and you would be correct. However, messages of ‘you can do it’ and ‘don’t let the bastards grind you down’ are becoming a distant memory. To have the gall to offer such an inspirational message in such bleak times takes courage and Primal Scream should be commended for it. Gillespie was recently discussing how rock music was dead as a form of counter culture. Well, if just one person picks up a guitar after listening to this album then he will be wrong and Neil Yong will be right (we hope)!

“Hey hey my my / Rock and roll will never die”

Top 10 Albums of 2013: 10 - 6

10. Miles Kane - Don't Forget Who You Are

We hope everyone enjoyed the festival season. Here at TT, we have been reviewing our favourite albums of the year so far and will be drip feeding these to you over the coming weeks. To kick things of here is our review of Miles Kane’s ‘Don’t Forget Who You Are’.

As a whole, the second helping from Kane has taken T-Rex’s ‘20^th Century Boy’ and ‘Children Of The Revolution’ and injected them with a huge dose of adrenaline worthy of Liam Gallagher and Richard Ashcroft in their pomp.

The current single and lead track ‘Taking Over’ is a fine example of this.  Co-written with Lightning Seeds’ frontman Ian Broudie, the track has catchy and punchy riffs coursing throughout which serve Kane’s new aggressive vocals perfectly.

The album has an undercurrent of glam rock running through it and is none more prevalent on the stomper ‘Give Up’. It has some great guitar hooks which are sure to have crowds strutting nationwide when he is on tour next month.

There are two tracks written with Weller on the album and ‘You’re Gonna Get It’ is the stand out. It seems to spring from Weller’s ‘From The Floorbards Up’ with a Sex Pistols ferocity and shows Kane has guitar showmanship of Mick Ronson.

Kane doesn’t always get the new blend of aggression right though. The title track, ‘Don’t’ Forget Who You Are’ feels tired and a bit of a substandard ‘Jitterbug Boogie’. It’s hard to criticise someone so passionate, but the naivety of youth is definitely at play here. A step back and a more subtle approach with his producer and we could witness magic Bolan produced in his heyday.

His ambition to be the next great rock star of a generation is coupled with a softer intention to pay homage to the grand productions of Scott Walker. ‘Out Of Control’ is the kind of 60s nostalgia that everyone should make time for. It sounds big and grandiose but remains heart-warming throughout. Without tracks like this, what will young lovers sway to? What would cretins film on their shitty phones instead of living for the moment at gigs? We simply don’t know.

What we do know is that Kane is on one hell of a roll. His early days with The Little Flames and The Rascals showed lots of promise but didn’t quite come off. Since the Last Shadow Puppets debut, Kane’s confidence has soared and he has knocked up two quality albums. This serving is not perfect and therein lays its greatest asset:  it is unhinged, raw and energetic. The nods to Northern Soul, Mod and Glam-Rock here are fresh and fiery and exactly what the UK music scene need.

9. 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.

8. Public Service Broadcasting - Inform Educate Entertain

Public Service Broadcasting are a London based duo who have trawled the BBC archives to dub old public messages over their enthralling and evocative electro music. This, ladies and gentleman, is no flash in the pan gimmick. What we have is one of the finest albums of 2013 that you should all go and buy immediately.

If there was to be a blueprint for an album opener, Inform-Educate-Entertain would surely tick all the boxes. It is a rasping soaring piece of majesty worthy of Orbital at their finest. One of the broadcast splices states ‘a bright new era is dawning’ and when listening to this song, it certainly feels as though it might be. Despite being released before Royal Mail was decided to be sold off, it utilises excerpts in tandem with some great guitar licks which relay the fury many of us feel about yet another decision made in the name of greed.

 

This sense of loss is beautifully encapsulated by the track ‘Night Mail’. The old clips inevitably create a wave of nostalgia but it is the lush pianos and protracted synths that conjure the sense of something fading away never to return. And for what? To bump up the deficit reduction statistics so Messrs Cameron and Osborne can revel in yet more unfounded glory. If there was a song to sum the coalition’s lack of compassion and shortsightedness, this is most certainly it.

 

‘Spitfire’ will lead fans of Lemon Jelly to recall the ‘Shouty Track’ and ‘Staunton Lick’ on hearing this. However, like all quality music, they have borrowed from the past and added their own ambition to the mix. The combination of modern day Radiohead guitars with British Sea Power’s pop sensibilities gives this track an edge which their contemporaries simply do not have.

For all the brilliance of ‘Inform-Educate-Entertain’, it is occasionally guilty of filler. This is not because of a lack of imagination, more of a lack of originality in the execution. ‘Signal 30’ is a highly enjoyable track but if truth be told, it is something the Go! Team did with more flair. ‘The Now Generation’ meanwhile, feels like watered down version of Primal Scream’s ‘Swastika Eyes’. it is a real pity, an injection of something here could have made this song as strong as others on the album.

Perhaps the most interesting track on the album though is the stripped back ‘ROYGBIV’. Proclaiming ‘there is colour in the reach of everyone’, it is by far the most uplifting and optimistic track of the album. More importantly is hints that the duo could have a hit single hidden in their locker. This is not it, by any means, but the use of the banjo is incredibly infectious for the first two minutes and. the second half of the song has a brilliant funk riff reminiscent of A Certain Ratio. It also has the Beeb extract ‘I believe in this world to come / I think it’s going to be a pretty good one.’ A simple message but one this country is in dire need of as the Coalition’s divide and rule tactics run amok.

 

Overall, TT would have to say this album is not a classic. Nonetheless, it feels like the start of something genuinely inspiring and life-changing. On reading about the duo, you could be forgiven this is a one off gimmick. We feel, however, that this is the beginning of a remarkable journey to be had, one which hopefully coincides with a brave and optimistic British government that speaks to its electorate with heart, rather than with one eye on big business’ profit margin.

7. Peace - In Love

Peace are a 4 piece from Worcester and have been taking the UK by storm on their recent headline NME Awards tour. TT just couldn't resist the hype and had to check out their debut album ‘In Love’.

Whilst TT feels this is one hell of a debut, it would be foolish to ignore that this album is unblemished. ‘Lovesick’ is everything we despise here at TT: British bands singing in an New Found Glory style. It is enough to make you want to go ‘We Need To Talk About Kevin’ on anyone who likes it. There, now that’s been said, we can all forget about that and move on…

The opening track ‘Higher Than The Sun’ immediately brings to mind Primal Scream’s incredible Acid House tinged anthem not only because of the title but in relation to its escapist virtues. Whilst musically it is more akin to the Scream’s rock-cum bluesy numbers, it has a wonderful feeling of youth awakening and stretching for more. The timing couldn't be better suited with further cuts being made and the ridiculous “Bedroom Tax” coming in to play. Sometimes bands time their journey into cultural conscious of the public just right and Peace appear to be doing just this.

The indie/rock scene has been largely divided in to two realms in recent years. On one side you have rock-psyche with Tame Impala, Toy and Kasabian and on the other there are the softer and more pop friendly (but by no means less credible) bands such as Foals, Mystery Jets and Little Comets. Peace are exciting because they look like the first band to unite the two divisions. ‘Follow Baby’ has verses which sound like The Pixies but with Gruff Rhys pulling the production strings to create a uniquely trippy, yet punky, sound. When the track reaches the chorus, Harry Kossier’s vocals hit those lush tones that Friendly Fires did so well with on ‘Paris’ to provide an ecstatic moment to treasure.

The Foals references will be ringing loud and clear on ‘Wraith’. It is like an offspring of Foals hit ‘My Number’ whose riff may not be as catchy but as a single has so much more depth. There is also looping piano which fades in and out to signify that Happy Mondays’ ‘Step On’ was not in vain. The lyrics are spectacular within this setting too. The below chorus may read as childish but with the tune behind it, it feels like two young lovers grasping freedom by the horns with the intention of living forever:

‘You could be my ice age sugar / Lay me down and make me shiver / Blow me like a floating feather / We’ll be dark we’ll be dark we’ll be dark forever’.

 

Then comes the colossal ‘Sugarstone’. What a spectacular rock song. It has a beautiful haziness worthy of the Brian Jonestown Massacre and a swagger not too dissimilar to that off ‘Champagne Supernova’. Oasis seemingly play no part musically in the bands influences but the philosophy of Peace is something different altogether. What makes both bands great is that unseen spirit which allows you and your best mate to belong to something to cherish for all time. ‘Sugarstone’is one of the few tracks that manage to tap into this soul successfully with the lyrics: “It’s not about a generation / It’s not about our education / We don’t need to think today / Cos you and me can slip away”.

These lyrics are just another reason to why Peace are the best thing to happen to the UK music scene since the Libertines. They give a much needed voice to the indie/rock youth of today. TT can see Peace uniting the indie hipsters and math rock fans with Kasabian and Beady Eye lovers out there. ‘In Love’ is an album you must all invest in!

6. Wave Pictures - City Forgiveness

The veterans from Midlands returned this year with ‘City Forgiveness’, less than a year after the acclaimed ‘Long Black Cars’ was released. Ardent fans would not be surprised by this kind of prolific nature, but, this is isn’t any album, this is an M&S album……no wait, we mean, this is a double album.

After a decade of consistently good albums, fans could be forgiven for thinking ‘what’s left to do?’. The answer comes in the form of David Tattersall’s guitar playing. He has always been class, but only on this helping do we see him really let rip and more importantly, let go.

The tracks ‘All My Friends’, ‘Chestnut’, and ‘Ropes’ are prime examples of this. They all work within a similar framework, one in which see’s the rhythm section minimal to allow breathing space for Tattersall’s skills. On ‘All My Friends’, Tattersall combines a dark narrative (he proclaims ‘all my friends are going to be strangers’) with blasts on the guitar a la Peter Green.

‘Chestnut’ and ‘Ropes’ both have distinctive Neil Young vibes emanating from their pores. ‘Chestnut’ ambles along like Young’s ‘Believer’ in the verses before the big heart-warming chord changes lead you towards Young’s ‘Bar Stool Blues’. Meanwhile, ‘Ropes’ takes on the appearance of a discarded b-side from ‘Rust Never Sleeps’. How such quality can slip by the Mercury Music Award is astonishing.

Then, there is the oddity that is ‘Lisbon’. It’s an oddity on the basis that this is a genuine pop song and stands out a mile from the rest of the tracks here. It is three and half minutes of catchy and cool guitar music and the utilising of Dr Feelgood’s baseline from ‘Roxette’ is a touch of inspiration.

This album is not without fault it must be noted. It definitely has too many tracks and midway through disc 2 you will not hear anything different enough or better than what is on disc 1. ‘The Yellow Roses’ and ‘A Crack In The Plans’ feel a bit lack lustre compared to the songs we mentioned earlier. However, compared to some of the year’s most hyped albums (Arcade Fire and Arctic Monkeys for instance), the tracks which should have been trimmed are infinitely better than first choices on their albums.

What will be interesting is to see where Tattersall takes the band from here. It has been a long journey to reach this peak and it is a peak because Tattersall unleashed himself on the guitar. TT hopes he hasn't laid himself completely bare and there is still more to come.