“What if I just changed forever? What if we just fit together?” Vocalist, James, fires questions at the listener like an inquisitive nine year old on a long journey with his parents. On the surface, there is nothing wholly unique about Rotary Ten, a four-piece from Shefield.
Vocally and lyrically not unlike similar Indie bands like Cajun Dance Party, Good Books and Larrikin Love, it is their musical style that has the potential to set them apart from their peers.
Inspiration from bands such as Death Cab for Cutie and Explosions in the Sky appears to have refreshingly pushed their musical integrity and attention up a good couple of notches above the other trilby toting scenesters that litter the alternative music genre
Friday 11 April 2008
Album Review - Crystal Castles - Crystal Castles - Noize Makes Enemies
Meet Crystal Castles. Having already built up an enormous fanbase all dutifully thrashing about to their music, Crystal Castles’ debut album has definitely been eagerly awaited by many. Listing their influences as murder, blank looks on girls and knives, they are quintessentially the personification of originality. From the first track, their experimental Electronica sound gives the impression that you’ve stepped into your Dell laptop whilst someone thumps effortlessly effectively from up above on a Cassio keyboard. Combine this with vocals reminiscent of Bjork on acid and you’re fully submerged into the innovative creations of Crystal Castles. Whilst appearances on cult television show Skins and regular coverage in NME can only do good things for the Toronto-hailing duo, this does come with its risks. By this I mean that all too often, new unique bands get attached to rusty wheels by publications in order to make them the latest bandwagon band. However, the certain Marmite love-or-hate quality definitely applies to Crystal Castles because of their distinctive sound. Tracks like ‘Through the Hosiery’ and ‘Xxzxcuzx Me’ will be thought headache-inducing distasteful noise to some, whilst fans responsible for their 60,000 plus play count on Myspace will stick two neon-painted-finger-nailed fingers up at any critics of the two-piece. Yet, like them or loathe them, be warned, once you press play on this sixteen track debut, it’s nigh on impossible to forget Crystal Castles.
Album Review - Drive By Argument - Drive By Argument - Noize Makes Enemies
Occasionally an album comes along that is so ridden with raw emotion that it functions as a mouthpiece for everything you didn’t ever realise that you felt. It digs deep into every hidden and overt dissatisfaction, desire, need and hope in a way that denotes that the band behind it demands a closer look. Drive By Argument are that band. Musically, at times not unlike The Dykeenies or the earlier work of Taking Back Sunday, lead vocalist Stoke’s lyrics like “’cause happiness is always easy, it’s just hard to find” pour out his relatable frustrations. The album darts between Emo, Rock and Electro in a way that manages to be current and relevant but at the same time still unique. Tracks like “Lower Your Pieces” and “How Trees Sleep” show the four-piece’s vulnerability and Stoke’s vocal similarity to Bert McCracken (of The Used). Yet the schizophrenic styling of the band’s debut album infuses dark electro on “Cyclists Run Red Lights” and “We Techno Prisoners”. This modern combination of genres helped bands like Enter Shikari build a loyal fanbase last year, as well as intrinsically allowing them to achieve renowned success and 2008 looks set to see DBA do the same.
Sunday 6 April 2008
Album Review - Creature With The Atom Brain - I am the Golden Gate Bridge - Noize Makes Enemies
Named after a 1955 film and conventionally continental in appearance, Belgium band Creature With The Atom Brain are far from mainstream. With guitar riffs inspired by Led Zepplin, musically the band propel themselves back into the seventies and eighties. The band’s third album ‘I am the Golden Gate Bridge’ exudes aspects of The Raconteurs and The Dandy Warhols – particularly through Aldo Struft’s vocals- at least to begin with.
As the CD playhead advances along the twelve tracks, the album takes a turn for the darker and elements of Metallica, Skindred and System of a Down can be recognised. It becomes infectiously chaotic and fans of said bands will no doubt delight in the almost gothic undertones that violently scratch their way to the surface. The album’s focus also inferably shifts from Struft’s vocals revealing “sweet trouble is calling for me” to the music.
Tracks like ‘Not a Sect’ and ‘Park My Car Outside the Record Store’ sit more as a covert three minute showpiece for Struft and Michiel Van Clevvenbergen’s guitar talent. Producing impressive guitar riffs that demand attention is something Creature With The Atom Brain have got down to a fine art as demonstrated on ‘Rapeman’s Scalp’ which is purely instrumental under demonic whispering.
The band’s plethora of inspiration including Mars Volta and My Bloody Valentine, teamed with their eclectic style, has undoubtedly played a monumental part of the album’s diverse and head turning style.
Whilst fans of more mainstream rock may find ‘I am the Golden Gate Bridge’ a bit harsh on the eardrums – it is close to impossible not to respect the abundance of musical talent that seeps out of this Belgium four-piece.
As the CD playhead advances along the twelve tracks, the album takes a turn for the darker and elements of Metallica, Skindred and System of a Down can be recognised. It becomes infectiously chaotic and fans of said bands will no doubt delight in the almost gothic undertones that violently scratch their way to the surface. The album’s focus also inferably shifts from Struft’s vocals revealing “sweet trouble is calling for me” to the music.
Tracks like ‘Not a Sect’ and ‘Park My Car Outside the Record Store’ sit more as a covert three minute showpiece for Struft and Michiel Van Clevvenbergen’s guitar talent. Producing impressive guitar riffs that demand attention is something Creature With The Atom Brain have got down to a fine art as demonstrated on ‘Rapeman’s Scalp’ which is purely instrumental under demonic whispering.
The band’s plethora of inspiration including Mars Volta and My Bloody Valentine, teamed with their eclectic style, has undoubtedly played a monumental part of the album’s diverse and head turning style.
Whilst fans of more mainstream rock may find ‘I am the Golden Gate Bridge’ a bit harsh on the eardrums – it is close to impossible not to respect the abundance of musical talent that seeps out of this Belgium four-piece.
Album Review - Groove Armada - Late Night Tales - Noize Makes Enemies
It’s rare that a compilation album can run for over five years and maintain such a high degree of integrity and quality and yet Late Night Tales seem to have found the secret to success. Going back to old friends, Groove Armada, to compile eighteen tracks of their choice was a typically smart move for their twentieth release.
Groove Armada chose the theme of making mix tapes for friends and looked back to their youth for inspiration. As a result, the album is as varied and miscellaneous as ever, with mixes of Stevie Wonder, The Cure, Midlake and Depeche Mode all gracing the compilation with their presence.
With effortless transitions and mixes from one track to another, Groove Armada has effectively combined several genres and eras into what has been coined as ‘quite possibly the best Late Night Tales yet’.
The latest from the Late Night moguls conjures images of evenings by the beach with a cold drink as every song teases out a forgotten memory in the way that all the best music does.
Groove Armada chose the theme of making mix tapes for friends and looked back to their youth for inspiration. As a result, the album is as varied and miscellaneous as ever, with mixes of Stevie Wonder, The Cure, Midlake and Depeche Mode all gracing the compilation with their presence.
With effortless transitions and mixes from one track to another, Groove Armada has effectively combined several genres and eras into what has been coined as ‘quite possibly the best Late Night Tales yet’.
The latest from the Late Night moguls conjures images of evenings by the beach with a cold drink as every song teases out a forgotten memory in the way that all the best music does.
Album Review - Jesse Malin - On Your Sleeve - Noize Makes Enemies
Seven days. Fourteen tracks to cover. This is the challenge that Jesse Malin embarked on for his album, ‘On Your Sleeve’.
The concept behind the album is admirable, if slightly self-involved. Malin covers over a dozen artists that have inspired him and his musical style in some way. With his vocals, reminiscent of a cross between John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls’ and The Pogues, he calls on artists including Tom Waits, Neil Young and Lou Reed for some of their most renowned tracks.
The album, as with Malin’s career, does demonstrate the singer-songwriter’s diversity. But whilst certain tracks like The Kill’s ‘Rodeo Town’ suit Malin’s folk style, other more adventurous covers like Sam Cooke’s ‘Wonderful World’ is pleasant but far from the original’s standard.
Fans of Malin and his distinguished style will doubtlessly enjoy this inside look into the artists that have moulded his passion for music and the people that he looks to for inspiration. However, this is unlikely to be true for many others who may be less impressed with the collection of somewhat sombre tracks that when covered, appear to lack something the classics originally emanated with such ease.
The concept behind the album is admirable, if slightly self-involved. Malin covers over a dozen artists that have inspired him and his musical style in some way. With his vocals, reminiscent of a cross between John Rzeznik of the Goo Goo Dolls’ and The Pogues, he calls on artists including Tom Waits, Neil Young and Lou Reed for some of their most renowned tracks.
The album, as with Malin’s career, does demonstrate the singer-songwriter’s diversity. But whilst certain tracks like The Kill’s ‘Rodeo Town’ suit Malin’s folk style, other more adventurous covers like Sam Cooke’s ‘Wonderful World’ is pleasant but far from the original’s standard.
Fans of Malin and his distinguished style will doubtlessly enjoy this inside look into the artists that have moulded his passion for music and the people that he looks to for inspiration. However, this is unlikely to be true for many others who may be less impressed with the collection of somewhat sombre tracks that when covered, appear to lack something the classics originally emanated with such ease.
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