pengilly’s

March 2, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

The music of Pengilly’s occupies a half-way house between the wistful melancholia of long forgotten, long boxed, recently discovered family photo albums, and the half-remembered optimism of growing old. What is most exiting to note, for an artist whose material is so new and so raw and so wrapped up in the layers of youth, is that pastiche is not the quality that presents itself here as something new and notable, it is an earnest face to the world, not highway bound but rooted on the breeze.

pengilly’s
These songs are lightweight, but don’t lack depth or consequence, they are carried through with ease, caught in the scent of the sea on the clean morning air as the violin and accordion entwine themselves in the mix, and layered vocals push everything forward. Forsaking the necessity of a frantic drum track that would sit unevenly in such surroundings, the track ‘Mister Punch and Thomas Moore’ recalls a triumph of youth over experience, so often lacking in more staid musical environments. The stand-out track is a romantic take on the return home, memories from the road and that familiar sounding feeling. ‘To London’ is almost military in it’s marching band welcome home from pastures new, a heartfelt love letter to the childhood left in the mists.
These home recordings indicate genuine potential with variety that speaks of imagination and aptitude. They sit nicely amongst the products of other exciting folk-led artists emerging from areas outside of the ring-roads, amongst those less concerned with name-checking influences, but rather with crafting something captivating and original.

mp3s | To London | Mister Punch and Thomas Moore

www.myspace.com/thisispengillys

A live date is billed for 11/4 at Bullet Bar in Kentish Town. A further two songs can be streamed at Pengilly’s myspace. Though these two posted should provide more than ample justification for the outing, be sure to listen to the other two, the standard is equally high.

one, two, three, four | a look at the week ahead

January 30, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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An individual listing personalised to avoid the tripe.

Wednesday 30th: Head over to the ICA for subversive electronica from the radio-unfriendly Fuck Buttons. Do we need melodies anymore? Probably, but one evening of wilful abandon out of seven isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Just don’t say “post-rock”, and keep your hair short.

mp3s |Ribs Out

Thursday 31st: Moshi Moshi hold the ace in the hole for this evening with a night of inspired melancholy and L.A. glamour transported to the cozy environs of Hoxton Bar and Grill. Fanfarlo, so beloved of Mr. Bowie, play the first in a handful of dates before heading off to SxSW where their particular brand of subtle pop-melody is bound to go down a treat. Lykke Li returns to these shores in anticipation of an album later this year - recorded in New York with Bjorn (of Peter, Bjorn and John fame) - and a clamour of broadsheet journalists to win over. The Mae Shi are rock ‘n’ roll electronica not from these shores.
You have been warned.

mp3s | Everybody But Me

www.myspace.com/themaeshi

www.myspace.com/fanfarlo

Friday 1st: Not cool enough for the Vice Tour? No need to cry into your less than slim jeans, there are more enticing options in store on this cold night. Laura Marling is back at the Soho Revue Bar after the debacle of last time out, we can only presume Miss Marling has come of age. She brings her troop of folk-adours back into town. Stay away from Koko. Don’t ask questions, just don’t go near the place. If you’re heading that way, go and see Ebony Bones at the Barfly, it’s the better option.

mp3s | We Know All About You

Saturday 2nd: As an afternoon warm-up act it’s hard to knock Elle S’Appelle at the Notting Hill Arts Club, and it’s free. Best to get a couple down before the festivities start. Depending on your predilections, Slow Club and The Wave Pictures play the Borderline or you can head for something a little more up-tempo at Bardens Boudoir with Those Dancing Days and Johnny Foreigner.It really is that easy.

mp3s | Johnny Foreigner - Champagne Girls I Have Known

The Wave Pictures - Long Island

Elle S’Appelle - She Sells Sea Shells

Sunday 3rd: Continuing in this folk-drenched vibe, for Sunday is the day of rest and nostalgia, Noah and The Whale bring their hurdy-gurdy bandwagon back around for another tilt at the big-time, constantly out-down at each turn by the latest wave of folk ramblers from across the water who just do this type of thing BETTER. But they won’t give up and that, in itself, is admirable. Support comes from Leona Naess, who is of far better schooling and Mumford and Sons, who is at least excitable.

mp3s | Peaceful The World

www.leonanaess.com

www.myspace.com/marcusmumford

Monday 4th: The Duke Spirit play a free instore at HMV in anticipation of new album ‘Neptune’ released today. Getting in on the act Laura Marling plays one too, over at Rough Trade West. If you like your “indie” music soundtracking hip fashion labels and as “danceably-tight” as those jeans you saw that kid wearing, then head over to Eight Legs at the barfly.

mp3s | Cuts Across The land

Tuesday 5th: Okkervil River roll back around again with their darkly comic show, Mr. Jay Jay Pistolet shows up in support and proves how far you can go with a good deal of loss and heartbreak. He’s playing in L.A., don’t you know, he’s come a long way from this.

www.myspace.com/okkervilriver

www.myspace.com/jayjayandlespistolets

arcade fire | black mirror

January 30, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

Tracy Maurice’s latest, and probably last, work on Neon Bible has yielded an original video for Black Mirror, the song that arrived to satisfy the anticipations of last winter, and Win writes in his scrapbook, it ‘seems like a kind of fitting way to finish off‘. The visuals are neat enough, fitting the established aesthetic, but of more interest is the interactive element, an area they explored in the online clip for the title track. The video is accompanied with six buttons that allow the components of the song to be toggled on/off, go ahead and try - it’s outstanding.

blackmirror

direct link - http://www.rorrimkcalb.com/arcadefire.html

Someone kindly captured the individual audio layers that can be manhandled during that online video playback. grab them below.

black mirror

numbers 1-6 provide the various audio layers | Black Mirror layer 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |

www.arcadefire.com

Tracy Maurice | www.barbarianlust.com

black kids | the wizard of ahhs

January 28, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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he tenous nature of racial accuracy shall retain its back-seat position in future debates for fear of further reprisals from the Clinton Camp. Black Kids are so “of the moment” that any discussion of their music is tainted by the hyperbolic machinations from which they originally sprung. As difficult as it may be, we must ignore those calling for blood.

The kid’s are alright.

Our recent predilection for carbon-copy ’80s reruns has gone a little sour of late and if that state of affairs has reaffirmed your belief in the originality of contemporary music then it’s probably wise to steer clear of this band-wagon for it would drive even the least cynical to the bottle, eventually. Releasing your material for free is de riguer in this current climate and it may almost be deemed to be passe were it not to be such an important tool in self-promotion, and if music this good is being given away; then is it any wonder your band’s latest single isn’t doing too good?

The ‘Wizard of Ahhhs’ E.P. is over and done with in the blink of an eye but pay careful attention to repeating your steps and you shall be rewarded if you are of a melancholic disposition. As Pitchfork hinted at, Black Kids are playing a similar ball game to the Go! Team, with a lo-fi ambience and call-and-response vocals that are often rubbed out in the mix but are brought to the front here, in Technicolor abandon. Mixing a Morrissey-style wink of sexual ambiguation - “You’re the girl that I’ve been dreaming of/ever since i was a little girl” - with an updated ’80s repertoire it remains to be seen how these songs translate into a long-player, they’d be advised to take their time.

Loveable screwballs or Robert Smith’s heir apparent?

Like the show? Then tickets can be bought here .

mp3s | Hurricane Jane | I’m Not Going To Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You (Kate Nash cover)

www.blackkidsmusic.com

www.myspace.com/blackkidsrock

orillia opry | lighthouse for straggler’s eyes

January 27, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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Orillia Opry craft beautifully realised songs with an organic craft that is so often lacking from their immediate peers within the negative-stereotyped world of folk music. The songs released so far are refreshingly removed from the myriad wanderings and pre-determined set pieces of contemporary folk acts that dwell within this country; and not to get all caught up in this idea of a picture perfect wanderlust of our cousins from across the sea but this is something special. 

These songs soundtrack cinematic moments that aren’t recorded on celluloid but play out around you behind closed doors. The newest batch of songs recently released on Ships at Night Records and entitled ‘Lighthouse For Straggler’s Eyes’ is a beautifully simple collection of songs that leaves you both satisfied and intrigued for the back catalogue.

The songs appear timeless and that statement isn’t written to imply mediocrity or a faux-hip admiration for truly awfully recorded material, rather it is an appreciation for truly original songwriting and song-craft.The ability to transcend artificial ‘genres’ is an appreciation we should be striving for much more readily these days.

The nouveau hippy-ed elite will not have a monopoly for much longer. 

mp3s | Peace Will Come | Shadow Shadow

www.myspace.com/orilliaopry

 

orillia-opry-picture.jpg<< order ‘Lighthouse For Straggler’s Eyes’ from Ships At Night Records.

vampire weekend | hoxton bar and grill

January 24, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

Having been thoroughly impressed (despite a meagre turnout and a couple of incongruous support acts) in glimpsing some of their songs in Nottingham last year, Vampire Weekend continued their good run, dispensing a neat reminder to their ‘fourth’ London crowd to sustain the buzz well through the release of their debut lp (expect the album, self-titled, to arrive 28/1).

vampire weekend hoxtonphoto from David Emery’s photostream

Vampire Weekend’s live energy is underpinned by Chris Tomson on drums, whose animated rhythms, delivered with real enthusiasm, prop up the brazen guitar and key parts. Choruses rattle past, memorable on their own, and in the moment, impossible to recall in the whole as one infectious melody stops and the next one starts. Proficient in concept and deliberate in execution, these songs are accomplished live, though they tend to adhere closely to the recorded precedent.

Tonight’s set is packed with familiar songs from the ep and singles, the same songs that have been banded about on blogs for almost a year, and the same songs that make up the the whole of the album, something that could start to drag as the tour dates mount up. That said, there was a great sounding new song somewhere in there, and the encore of ‘Walcott’ was anything but weary.

Also, It was bloody busy tonight. They should probably sell a few less tickets next time.

mp3s | The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance | Walcott

www.myspace.com/vampireweekend

www.vampireweekend.com

www.xlrecordings.com

vampire weekend<< order ‘vampire weekend’ from norman records.

voxtrot / sparrow house / belaire

January 22, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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“Whatever happened to Voxtrot?” could readily apply itself as the mantra of this year just past. As a classic example of the pitfalls and perils of the hype merchants and their consumers Voxtrot stand as the marker alongside the road to ignominy for such bands as Vampire Weekend and for Black Kids as we roll into 2008.A series of blisteringly re-worked guitar melodies and emotionally charged lyrics that slipped Morissey a couple of G ‘n’ T’s before jumping into bed with him, the album released last year – titled simply, ‘Voxtrot’ – simply failed to live up to those earlier whispered promises.

Give them time. You must always give the kids time.

However, little brothers will often show you up. For Voxtrot is but the day-job for this highly productive outfit.
Sparrow House is Jared van Fleet, spending time in between lost seasons and cold cafes by the sea to commit his particular blend of lo-fi amplification and letters to lost friends. Move the dial across the airwaves and the song picks up halfway through, slightly trampled underfoot, it’s been snowing recently but the leaves aren’t quite dead. We’ll stamp our feet to keep them warm and sit on wooden benches in a cabin in the woods by a lake and write songs like these.

Belaire move in completely different circles and accuse classmates of being too sensitive when all we’re here for is to have a good time. Like a lost cartoon-show from the early ’90s that you were too young to watch, Belaire delight in the obscurity. Peddling a warm, fuzzy line of sweetly saccharine vocals and heavily indebted synths the band are no ground-breakers but it’s a sound that pre-packaged pop can only dream about.

mp3s | Waiting Patiently | You Sang Along

www.myspace.com/sparrowhouse

www.myspace.com/belaire

 

sarabeth tucek

January 19, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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 Although the line peddled by Ms. Tucek is nothing particularly groundbreaking or genre-bending what she does produce feels so guiltily well-rounded and honest that you almost can’t help becoming particularly enamoured with the whole proceeding.With songwriting credits for such Illuminati as the Brian Jonestown Massacre she is certainly a well-travelled lady and the usual boxes are ticked in regards to broken hearts, lonely nights and bright bright lights. Detractors would point to the overtly polished production courtesy of Mr Ethan Jones - with self-referential techniques almost too painfully enthralled to ‘Gold’-era Ryan Adams - or question the need for a further influx of cathartic Americana rock ‘n’ roll but such vocal opinions will always be voiced and they are just as easily ignored. In the end it is much better to just enjoy yourself, rather than getting caught up in your own opinions.

 Sarabeth Tucek is playing at the latest Chess Club extravaganza at the Social on Monday night (21st) with School of Language and Mumford Sons.Should be a riot. 

www.myspace.com/sarabeth tucek

41hrhhu3lsl_ss500_.jpg < < buy ‘Sarabeth Tucek’.

one night only | push

January 15, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

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With the staggering amount of new music that continues to swim to the surface ( and you should head here to listen to Pengilly’s ) it is somewhat staggering to be subjected to the sort of nonsense that One Night Only hawk to the radio, again and again. Having repeatedly been exposed to this watering down of the collective unconscious it becomes less and less surprising that the ship is going down.
Signed to Universal’s “alternative” imprint, Vertigo, we should probably batten down the hatches for yet another standard-fare smothering. If it wasn’t enough that we’ve already been served up sugar-less Razorlight interns Joe lean and the Jing Jang Jong, we now have a third-rate Kooks show-boy.*

Oh, joyous day.

Thankfully an evening spent amongst underage drinkers at ‘Push’ wasn’t entirely put to waste. Loverman are here to sate our souls with meat and gristle blues channelled through a cock-sure gait and served up for that Johnny Cash filled hole you never knew needed filling. For a second show it was believable, but stick around for the encore, it’ll be worth the admission price alone.

* Third-rate to the second-rate La’s aping of Luke Pritchard’s cohorts, whereby the whole thing becomes so cyclical and incestuous that you find yourself saying thanks to your pockets for Captain Beafheart, just for spicing the proceedings up a little.

links

January 7, 2008 by cutnpastentwist

the state of the music industry today is disappointing for many reasons, here is one and the other is here.