Stornoway - Bonxie

Oxford's most charming band released their third album 'Bonxie' on Cooking Vinyl earlier this year. After the mixed reviews of 2013's 'Tales From Terra Firma' they drafted in Pixies producer Gil Norton as they seek to expand their sound.

The experiments undertook occasionally provide glimpses of great things to come. 'Get Low' takes the classic Stornoway sound and sprinkles some production magic to take their sound towards the lighter works of Grandaddy.

However, too often, the quest for something new clashes with the identity they have already forged. 'Lost Youth' has some Lemonjelly quirkiness to it but does it really add anything? Meanwhile, album opener 'Between The Saltmarsh and The Sea' feels like a sub-standard King Creosote number.

Despite the new production values, it is within their archetypal sound where their maturity is plain to see. 'Man On Wire' is a slow building pop-cum-folk number which will warm the coldest of hearts that all Belle & Sebastian fans should gravitate towards.

'Josephine' is as simplistic as they cum. Just an acoustic guitar and great harmonies. The sea shanty feel to this song will offer audiences a chance to come together arm in arm. Questions such as 'are you sticking to what you know?' will inevitably be asked. However, the harmonies are infinitely better than anything they have produced before so, we give a resounding no to that question.

Stornoway's musical journey on 'Bonxie' has definitely trodden new paths. At times their vision is not always clear but their ability to write great melodies is so strong its rarely a problem. When the new production values served these melodies it gave them the new edge they were seeking but not often enough. TT hopes that their 4^th instalment sees them nail this new direction and not be on the fringes of it.

Fantasy Football: Radio DJ XI

The football season is a month old and that us got thinking, what Radio DJs would make our team? Tenuous? Yes. The result of daydreaming? Definitely. Read On? You Should!

Goalkeeper - Liz Kershaw

Everyone knows goalkeepers get better with age and Kershaw's vital experience is crucial to the team. The bolshie Northerner provides great vocal support for the back four and has just the right amount of crazy all world class keepers need.

Right Back - Ian Camfield

The XFM stalwart has been tried and trusted in every slot on weekday radio. This ability to adapt and remain consistent makes him the Gary Neville pro we’re looking for. Plus, his love of Motorhead means he will organise the teams Christmas outings inevitably ending on the front pages.

Left Back - John Kennedy

The XFM veteran has seen it all in his 20 year. His calming influence will give the younger players a the reassurance to put their foot on the ball and trust in their ability.

Centre Back John Peel (Captain) 

Peel was the only contender for the captain role. His ability to read the game and be ahead of the opposition will provide a Bobby Moore classiness that all teams dream of having.

Centre Back - Phill Jupitous

Alongside every ball playing centre half should be a colossus ball winner. In Jupitous we have just that. His big heart will see him stick his head where he shouldn’t and will take prisoners unless Peel keeps him on a leash.

Holding Midfield - Shaun W Keavney

Sitting in front of the back four is the glue that binds BBC6 together. Always dependable and doing the unwanted yards of breakfast radio sometimes earns the ‘water carrier’ tag, but SWK’s regular flashes of brilliance will unlock defences from deep.

Attacking Midfield - Stuart Maconie 

A product of the Tika Taka seems unlikely from Lancashire but Maconie and his years in the freakzone will terrify defences.

Right Midfield - Steve Lemacq

Every team needs a James Milner or Darren Fletcher to counter balance the flair on the other wing and Lemacq is ours. Industrious, runs all day and has more quality in possession than many realise at first glance. He will be forever under-appreciated by arm chair fans but season ticket holders will know how he important he is.

Left Midfield - Lauren Laverne 

Silky, pacey and a left foot so wand like that every cross will lead to a chance. Older fans will relish Laverne’s old school trickery reminiscent of the dear departed Davie Cooper and the celebration king Lee Sharpe.

Centre Forward - Eddy Temple Morris

One half of our two pronged dance music attack. Eddy is tall and rangy and will threaten with his pace and has finishing so good it makes Batistuta blush.

Centre Forward - Rob Da Bank

Playing slightly deeper than Eddy to link play, Da Bank is our quiet unassuming genius ala Bergkamp, looking to supply chances and bury the occasional chip for us to drool over. 

The Enemy - It's Automatic

Coventry 3 piece The Enemy recently announced the details of their 4^th album ‘It’s Automatic’ when songwriter Tom Clarke told the NME: 

“I sat Andy [bassist] down and said, ‘Mate, I don’t wanna make another Enemy record. I’m bored. We’ve nailed what we do, I wanna go and do solo stuff and make music like the music I listen to.’ And he said, ‘So do I.’ So we decided to take a leap of faith together.”

So, has the lead off single, also called ‘It’s Automatic’, set the stall out for this new era?

Musically, the signs of progression are plain to see. The use of synths and huge sounding drums are reminiscent of the Editors circa ‘An End Has A Start’ but, rather than engrossing a desolate industrial wasteland, The Enemy, have taken this style to a more enriching realm.

What has changed, thankfully, is Clarke's ability to produce recognisable reference points in his storytelling such as meeting in a hotel bar and naively falling in love. The simplicity of it all is why fans continually come back for more of Clarke. Furthermore, within the chorus lies the subtle lines 'Can't talk about it / Nothing a man can do'. It might not be hitting the heights of Blake but, it generates a sense of hopelessness in a vast world when you are left behind by a partner perfectly.

Just looking at Clarke in the video suggests a new maturity and confidence has been found in the time away. Sporting a new outrageously cool haircut and singing about falling in and out of love suggests a lot has happened to the spokesperson of a generation and TT for one is drooling in anticipation.

Moon Duo live at Village Underground

San Francisco’s Moon Duo were live in Shoreditch this week to, in part, promote their new album 'Shadow Of The Sun', but mainly to blow minds and frazzle brain cells with their blend of psyche, krautrock and garage. 

So many bands have that ‘one song’ within their set which has a guitar solo providing sheer ecstasy. With Moon Duo however, its every freakin song!  

Often, the aggression of the verses is heightened which serves Ripley Johnson’s guitar parts for the better. it allows Johnson's playing to really stand out and also, the build up beforehand is so tense, the subsequent rush is immense.  

The anticipation of the guitar solos is so big its visible. Some are on tip toes, some clench fists, some close their eyes and some do all 3. When the moment arrives, you can see the rush of euphoria wash over this audience. Drugs are redundant when Moon Duo are on stage. 

Unusually for psyche based music, most of the songs are not that long. Sitting between 3 to 6mins apiece allows each song to remain potent and interesting rather than drag into dull genesis prog territory. In turn, when the longer numbers 'Free Action' and 'Goners' are played, they encapsulate the East London's imaginations rather than send them to the bar.  

Their tour rolls on through Europe for the next 3 months. We urge you all to get out and see them. You will not be disappointed.   

PINS Live At The Electric Ballroom

Manchester’s PINS were the first of two support acts for Drenge last night at Camden’s Electric Ballroom. Unfortunately for Drenge and Big Deal, they were too good to be followed.

Their opening song, ‘Lost Lost Lost’, set the tone by decreeing ‘I feel alright / I feel so young / There’s nothing else / I want to become’. Youth and outsider culture doesn’t make the headlines much these days but, with PINS delivering polemic of this quality, it won’t be long before a Daily Mail journalist implodes with fear.

The current single ‘Young Girls’ has a hint of The Clash about it but they make it seem far more effortless. Teenage girls are going to want to be this band and frankly, when the teenage boys stop drooling so will they.

Immediately following was ‘Oh Lord’, another new song and the standout of the set. The guitar riff treads a similar path to Joy Division’s ‘She’s Lost Control’, whilst the aggressive harmonies and subsequent swirling guitars create a wall of noise to rival The Horrors circa ‘Primary Colours’.

TT hasn’t seen a band which looks and plays with this much style and skill simultaneously like this for some time. Drummer Sophie Galpin can clearly hammer the skins as well as anyone but she has moments of show stealing flair which are a joy to behold. Meanwhile, when singer Faith Holgate puts down her guitar for ‘LUVU4LYF’ and ‘Girls Like Us’, she transforms into a mesmeric force of nature.

There have been comparisons have been made to Vivian Girls, Best Coast and the Dum Dum Girls in the past but, as PINS approach the release of their second album make no mistakes, there is only one PINS and they are about to blow the competition away.

The Go! Team - The Scene Between

For fans of The Go! Team, it has been a painful four years waiting for their new album ‘The Scene Between’. This album, the 4^th in The Go! Team’s history, like their debut ‘Thunder, Lightning, Strike’ was written, recorded and produced by founder member Ian Parton.

In the past they were renowned for great sampling, resounding horns and genre defying indie-dance music. This offing however, mainly features 60’s girl group numbers and bubble-gum pop with only minimal nods to their previous work.

Previous albums gave MC Ninja a platform to be the star she was born to be. On ‘The Scene Between’ though, Parton, seemingly wanted more innocence in vocal delivery and went to ‘Daniel Day Lewis levels of ‘method’ to get this by drafting complete unknowns.

Had ‘Blowtorch’ used the biting rasp of MC Ninja, then, it would be just another Go! Team standard but the vocal of Doreen Kirchner lends it cuteness worthy of Rilo Kiley or Camera Obscura.

Meanwhile, ‘Catch Me On The Rebound’ has Annabelle Cazes on singing duty. She brilliantly combines the classic style of The Chiffons with the ‘butter wouldn’t melt’ attitude of Louise Wener which allows Parton’s sugary production to flourish.

Former single and standout track ‘Scene Between’, sparkles on an already glistening album of pop music like the greatest memory you ever had. Farris Badwan and Rachel Zeffira’s pet project Cat’s Eyes will look on in envy at this!

It’s astonishing to think its eleven years since their debut album hit the shelves. That, along with the follow up ‘Proof Of Youth’ were genre busting expressions of car chases and playground hip hop. ‘The Scene Between’ witnesses head honcho Parton taking a step back into the world of conformity but do not mistake this as a step backwards. Its an album awash with great pop songs which beg to be adored.

Moon Duo - Shadow Of The Sun

Wooden Shjips’ guitarist Ripley Johnson, returned to his Moon Duo side project with long term cohort Sanae Yamada in March to release Moon Duo's 3^rd album ‘Shadow Of The Sun’. Here's what we made of it. 

  
Their previous album, ‘Circles’, was a master class in fuzzy guitars and compelling krautrock and on 'Shadow Of The Sun', not much has changed. What is new though, are the array of guitar solos which effortlessly bleed into this set of tracks. 

Despite the other-worldliness of the album, large chunks have a formula of krautrock hooks as a base before Johnson sprinkles his guitar magic over everything.  

The opening tracks ‘Wilding’ and ’Night Beat’ are fine exponents of this. Yannae’s organ playing on ‘Wilding’ is hypnotic and has a Thee Oh Sees style aggression. There are parallels with the Doors’ ‘LA Woman’ here, that is, until Johnson’s guitar solos come sauntering in to blow you away. Unlike Johnson’s previous efforts, these solos are far terser and bring Modern Loves at their best to mind. 
  
‘Night Beat’ should be viewed less as a song and more a test of humanity. If your feet or fingers are not tapping to this then your soul has long since departed sadly. This is arguably the best groove they have created with the Horrors-esque keys and the bugged out production. Once more, Johnson comes in mid-way with sun drenched guitars but, this time, they lean towards the escapist ilk of Noel Gallagher rather than his psyche standard.

   

However, this formula doesn't always serve them well. ‘Zero’, despite having a great Horrors like hook, this track ventures towards Sonic Youth but doesn't ever dish up their ferocity.

‘In A Cloud’ however, is a gear change that excels. Far slower than the anything else on the album, it meanders along without a care in the world. The rich guitars and dual vocals deliver a dreamlike state that’s so vivid, when it finishes, you will question whether it just happened. 

The final two tracks also change the pace of the album. ‘Animal’, by a distance is the albums’ most immediate.  On this occasion they channel The Horrors and Sonic Youth to perfection with desolate keys and a destructive baseline.

Bonus track ‘Cross The Way’ combines a great keyboard loop with the higher tempo and for the first time on the album, witnesses Johnson interject he’s guitar wizardry and maintain the new found momentum.

For the most part, ‘Shadow Of The Sun’ is business as usual for Moon Duo. Yet, when the pace is bolstered on the final two tracks, the album is opened up to new dimensions, dimensions which, TT hopes they continue to explore.

Ripley and Sanae are currently on tour and are not to be missed. Check the dates here: 

http://moonduo.org/shows