Aloud.com Recommended Gig Guide

A.Human album review

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:26:36 +0000

A.Human - Three Hand Prophecy (Wall of Sound) http://www.theahuman.co.uk/ A.Human (which may stand for Average Human) are anything but. Their lush blend of electronica and rock leads them to an fantastic area where few bands have yet to venture. As such, A.Human are able to generate whatever sounds pleasing, and their music is just that. Three Hand Prophecy is nothing short of outstanding. A look at the album’s cover art offers the typical, eclectic artwork that graces every indie band release and creates instant assumptions in a listener. Pictures featuring hands with blades in place of fingers and people with animal’s heads may be off-putting for some and leave other questioning why it’s there in the first place, but these are no random doodles. A.Human’s songs include characters such as Deer Boy and the track Percy Singer is an auto-ballad of sorts about a twisted, yet endearingly polite, bandit. The lyrics are dark, demented, and absolutely delightful. The Fraudulent Truths Of An Office Worker speaks on the ills of mundane labour (quite literally in this case as the individual gets a little more than he expected after liaison with a co-worker), certainly inspired by the band’s previous experience as waiters, and Come Death And Welcome is the tale of a man, perhaps the same one from before, spiralling down after an episode with insomnia and sleeping pills until he is eventually mad and homeless. While excellent displays of lyricism, the best line comes in Post Post Modern Anxiety Blues. Commenting on the state of society in general at present, the song offers a look at a man so full of terror paranoia that he avoids public transportation going as far as “walking three hours a days from E2 to E10.” But you can dance to it too. The music is a combination of rumbling analogue bass, shifting synths, and a definite rock & roll tinge. Black Moon screeches while the wailing vocals implore the body to move and shake, and the interpretation of band America’s Horse With No Name is praiseworthy. What the Three Hand Prophecy actually is may not be as clear, but A.Human’s album, along with it’s bonus track which may also be titled Average Human, is only proof that they are far beyond that. Coren J. Cogdell

Hard Rock Calling

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:18:39 +0000

Hard Rock Calling 28-29 June Hyde Park, London It is a surprisingly hot morning on the weekend of the second Hard Rock Calling festival in Hyde Park. Scores of people make their way towards the southeast corner of London’s park as the two-day festival (previously called Hyde Park Calling) prepares to go into full swing. Saturday California boy Jason Mraz’s airy tunes go perfectly well with today’s actual summer temperatures. He starts with hit The Remedy, which gets nods of recognition from the many Clapton-shirt wearing baby boomers who may not have known the name Mraz but have heard the song somewhere. He does a Wonderwall medley halfway through a jam session as a nod to his British audience, who return the gesture with cheers and inevitable sing alongs. Backed up by a rather good band he plays some songs off new album We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things., including single I’m Yours, much to the delight of girls giggling at the singer’s hugely projected sun-kissed face. Mraz uses his festival appearance to showcase this and a couple of other songs from the new album, but aware of the predominant audience member type (60s/70s classics-loving) he pleases with perfectly appropriate covers of the Bee Gees’ Summer Breeze and Bob Marley’s Three Little Birds. These are well received and Mraz walks off leaving even the staunchest hippies pleased with his laid back Californian vibes. After Mraz is a fellow American whose guitar playing turns the heads of impatient Clapton fans. John Mayer opens with Waiting On the World To Change just as the weather itself changes to a more English overcast. People idling around food and drinks stands leave their queues to go see him as he tells the crowd he hopes he has it easy among blues guitar aficionados. Indeed, every song has solos ranging from respectable to worthy of being below Clapton’s name on the bill. As Mayer strums out, reactions vary between instant acceptance and due scrutiny, but his blistering solo in closing number Gravity seems to get everyone’s seal of approval. Out of all the day’s performances, Mayer’s blues-infused rendition of Duffy’s Mercy has the most overarching effect, fusing a loved chart topper with the kind of music the people came to listen to. During this number, as if by an act of music gods, the clouds above part while he slices the air beneath them with his riffs and licks, and the sun shines again. He walks off casually and rather triumphantly at the same time, thanking the audience (and the many jovial Americans in it) for paying attention. The crowd is left salivating for more ear-splitting guitar after Mayer’s unanticipated triumphant stint, but there is still one more performer before Clapton melts the stage. Sheryl Crow interacts with her audience more than any of the other artists, probably aware of its growing restlessness in anticipation of the night’s headliner. Despite some sound mishaps, she does not disappoint as she performs one hit single after another, including Favourite Mistake, All I Wanna Do (during which any remaining seated females jump up enthusiastically), Everyday Is A Winding Road and Soak Up The Sun (still appropriate at 7:30pm thanks to long summer days!). It seems like most people know the songs but are not aware they are all by her, and every time a new one starts, cheers ring out in recognition. Crow does a short bit from the song that seems to be the theme of the day (it gets played routinely between acts), I Can See Clearly (“now the rain is gone…”) and is the only one to bring out the political when she talks about gas prices and crazy politicians. As the third consecutive American to play, she also pays tribute to famous Brits with a stint of Gimme Shelter and her version of The First Cut Is The Deepest. She leaves the stage clamouring support for the next act and fails to hide her own enthusiasm as the crowd slowly but surely grows denser. Eric Clapton calmly walks onstage, guitar in hand, without much announcement and to roaring applause. The euphoria is palpable. He doesn’t speak much and eventually sits in the middle of the stage for a long acoustic set that includes blues tunes not widely recognized but commonly accepted. He does not reserve solos for his electric instrument; his acoustic harmonisations are not lost in the open night air. Admiration flows in the way of glassy eyes and frozen smiles on heads that shake in disbelief. Slightly gaping mouths on flat expressions denote the numbness of others as Clapton jams through songs, his fingers executing perfection and his voice bearing its familiar pleading casualness. Wonderful Tonight gets phones waving in the twilight air and the close up of his face on the screens show the still present emotion even during a massively overplayed song. Running On Faith strains his voice in a way that goes perfectly with the song’s words. When he finally stands up and plugs in, his guitar shoots electricity into the speakers and across the park. The opening riff to Cocaine is maddening, but it is all building up to Layla. Before the arguably most famous riff in music is heard, the band takes a longer break between songs than they’ve been doing before and the drumstick count holds off to build an already overflowing tension. And then it starts. Arms go up in triumph, heads shoot back in delight and an otherworldly five or so minutes follow. The band plays the full version of the song including the piano bit at the end, and then it’s over. Energy is still clinging in the air when John Mayer and Sheryl Crow join him onstage for a jarring rendition of Crossroads before the final bow. Instruments start getting unplugged but vibes are still cutting through a darkened Hyde Park as festival goers scatter out, the sound of guitar magic still ringing in the warm air. Sunday 80s female sensation The Bangles open with Manic Monday much to the delight of women who seem to consider this a rock number and emphatically sing along to the song’s repeating chorus. The karaoke reaction continues each time they play one of their many hits, with loving husbands/boyfriends nodding on condescendingly. The one that makes all the girls think they can sing is, of course, Eternal Flame, and the joint effort during this one is fun enough to grasp the crowd’s attention during other lesser-known songs. The girls tell the audience that they have released a record “in this decade,” believe it or not, and play some tunes off of this before closing of with 80s anthem Walk Like An Egyptian, which undoubtedly results in Egyptian poses from everyone (even those who hadn’t bothered to pay attention before.) The Bangles continue the apparent festival trend of sampling songs in between songs by throwing in bits of Mrs. Robinson during Egyptian before leaving the stage. Unfortunately technical difficulties are not the only factor marring Starsailor’s performance. What The Bangles lacked in crowd enthusiasm they made up for with interaction and instantly recognizable songs. Starsailor, however, start off with barely an introduction and go through their set with little effort to rouse the generally friendly audience. The effect is evident in mild applause even after some of their better known tracks such as Good Souls and Fever. The whole affair is bland and the band have to ask for a sympathy cheer (“Come on, Hyde Park”) before playing a final song and walking off. The next performance is the complete opposite thanks to Scottish sensation KT Tunstall’s seemingly inebriated energy. She doesn’t take off the black Ray Bans she says are absolutely saving her life at the moment. Unlike with the festival’s previous female acts, Tunstall animates men and women alike, boosting the audience’s energies again. In between songs she talks extensively and can’t seem to keep still. She and her guitar dance all over the stage during Dark Horse And The Cheery Tree, which gets a thousand “woo-hoo’s” every time that moment of the song arrives. She closes with Suddenly I See, leaving the audience revitalized for the very long awaited arrival of the headliners. Seconds after the members of The Police walk onstage the opening chords to Message In A Bottle are heard across the park, sending up more cheers and phones into the air than on any other time that day. Sting is sporting a black ensemble and some facial hair and is ever the friendly performer as he walks to far ends on both sides of the stage. Meanwhile, Andy Summers takes centre stage during his solos, which are striking enough to get all eyes on him while Sting’s bass gives out that familiar Police sound. No song is too long or too short or too different from what the throbbing crowd wants to hear. All the classics are revisited, with Sting’s signature howl echoing into the night during Don’t Stand So Close To Me and all sorts of silly dances splicing the crowd during De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da. The moving guitar/piano harmonies of Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic makes at least one woman teary-eyed as she sways in the build-up to the rocking chorus every time before the song’s final repeating lines (no need to mention the thousands of voices yelling in unison). It has been one long-run highlight since the band came onstage, but the moments of sheer thrill come at the encore as every single person bowels out the same woman’s name. The screens show a jubilant Sting looking out across waves of people, arms in air, jumping to the legendary tango beat of Roxanne. Indeed, the three Police men seem to be soaking up every second of what is supposed to be their last UK performance, and when the drumbeat and riff to Every Breath You Take begin, it really is the summit of what everything else has been rising up to. It is a perfect rendition of the song; its soothing ethereal vibes going down into the swaying crowds as dusk settles. One final moment of Police bliss comes with Next To You as the second encore, and after this the band bow to Britain for the last time. The morning after Hyde Park awakens like any regular Monday despite having been grazed by fine musicianship - for the most part - during the past two days (three, including the Mandela birthday gig on Friday). An alleged 35,000 people attended on Sunday alone, with likely the same amount present on Saturday. It’s also worth mentioning that this all occurred on the same weekend as Glastonbury festival, but the massive turnout to see the peerless headliners and generally worthy support acts proves some Brits still prefer festivals with no muddy camping involved. Christina Cromeyer Dieke

Reain album review

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:22:53 +0000

Reain - The Metaphorcast (Stand Alone Recordings) http://www.myspace.com/reain The Metaphorcast is the release from emcee Reain (pronounced "rain"), reknown in his native West London for being a fierce freestyle battler. For those unfamiliar with Reain, who also goes under the moniker Wha'shisface, his Intro provides a great sampling of what one can expect from the skilled lyricist. A mix of some of his best showings in battles, the rapper’s talent cannot be denied. Unfortunately, the rest of the album does not live up to the hype created on the intro. Like most emcees known prominently for battling, Reain’s songs suffer from a lack of substance. His proper recordings lack the strength and energy that he displays when devastating his opponents in battles. A couple of the songs, such as Capital City and Beauty, shine when witty wordplay is placed over smooth beats which are sure to get heads nodding. Almost all of the album’s instrumentation is superb, but the album begins to suffer towards the end where an excess of guest appearances begins to take away from Reain’s performance. The Metaphorcast may not be the best offering of hip-hop out right now, but Reain certainly holds it down. If he can channel his passion when battling for his next project, the emcee may be able to claim the dominance that he displays in a freestyle session. Coren J. Cogdell

It's not over yet...

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:06:00 +0000

Glastonbury may have just wrapped up but that does't mean the festival season is coming to a close. Starting Thursday, Hyde Park will host Jay-Z, Morrissey, Fatboy Slim and Counting Crows for non-camping (!) O2 Wireless Festival. If you want to make the trek, Wakestock, Hop Farm (with Neil Young) and Wild In the Contry also happen this coming weekend. Basically there are still plenty of chances to get muddy if you missed Glasto... BAND OF THE WEEK Port O'Brien MySpace page Port O'Brien started out as a folkish duo from coastal California that drew inspiration from fishing expeditions in Alaska. First album All We Could Do Was Sing, recorded in San Francisco, was the result of living and working in destinations off the beaten track. The band have toured extensively with acts like Rogue Wave and Modest Mouse both in their sunny home state and here in (not so sunny) England.

Heroes soundtrack album review

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:51:49 +0000

Heroes Original Soundtrack NBC Records Executive producer Allan Arkush’s notes on the inner sleeve of the Heroes soundtrack are a disclaimer: the selection of songs on the 18-track album is a sample of the music played on the set. They are songs that inspire the show’s writers. Unlike the traditional soundtrack, it is not a collection of songs heard during the episodes. The album opens with a 13-second sampling of the show’s theme, the creation of American musical duo Wendy & Lisa. The pair gained recognition mainly for collaborations with Prince in the 1980s and they now score all the music for the sci-fi drama. They have three more tracks on the album, all delicate instrumentals, with the longest one failing to reach three minutes. Arkush’s determination to showcase music that inspires the show is probably the reason why the duo’s songs barely make an appearance on the album, even though they’re the kind of music actually played during the episodes. After Wendy & Lisa comes none other than Iggy Pop with the Brighton Port Authority (aka Fatboy Slim) doing a version of The Monochrome Set’s He’s Frank. One of the highlights of the album, the song is saved from being too pop by Iggy’s low robotic brawl. Bob Dylan’s Man In The Long Black Coat resonates with the dark thriller aspect of the show as the legend’s raspy voice spits out words of eerie nights and obscure characters. The album is closed off very indulgingly with Bowie’s Heroes, but at least it’s one of the better songs with ‘Hero’ in the title (bear in mind Enrique Iglesias’ Hero or I Need A Hero from Footloose...). It’s convenient if the show’s writers actually like indie rock given that their main audience may very well be the same people at some of these bands’ gigs. Panic At The Disco, Death Cab For Cutie, My Morning Jacket, Nada Surf and The New Pornographers all contribute songs to give the album a young sound. Not one in particular stands out, and it’s fair to wonder how they actually chose which ones to include given the lack of cohesion throughout them. The cover says this is the original soundtrack of the show, so those expecting to hear more of the music that plays over scenes of heroes saving the world may be disappointed. The mix is interesting, however, in that it offers an insight into the personal tastes of the people thanks to whom the show exists in the first place. It’s smart in including both top class artists and airwave-dominating acts. Its heterogeneity is double edged, as it offers something for everyone, but it would be nice if it delivered actual musical bits of the show. Christina Cromeyer Dieke

Don't miss! Brian Jonestown Massacre

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:20:35 +0000

The mini-album, Just Like Kicking Jesus, contains 5 songs (4 never released before), runs over 27 minutes and was recorded in Reykjavik . The first track of this release features the vocals of Icelandic artist & film maker Unnur Andrea Einarsdottir. Due to be released 28th July. The band will play the following dates: June 2008 28th Portsmouth - Pyramids 29th UK - Glastonbury Festival 30th Stoke - Sugarmill July 2008 01st Manchester - Academy 2 02nd Northampton - Roadmenders 09th Birmingham - Academy 2 10th Nottingham - Rescue Rooms 11th Leeds - Cockpit 12th Dublin - Oxegen 13th Kinross - T in the Park 15th Barrow-in-Furness - The Canteen 16th London - Forum Click here for tickets

Howlin Rain album review

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 18:03:24 +0000

Howlin Rain - Magnificent Fiend Birdman Records There is such a thing as balance, and in music, it’s critical. Deafening vocals singing convoluted lyrics can drown out even the most well-crafted and intricate melodies. The main flaw in Magnificent Fiend, the second album by southern California psychedelic rock /blues sextet Howlin Rain, is ironically enough the band’s founder and vocalist. Ethan Miller’s lyrics are a good effort in all possible types of figurative language, but after a while there are just too many images clumsily stitched together yielding no big picture. Some tracks work thanks to their relative simplicity, like Nomads and El Rey, about songwriter’s block and moral corruption, respectively. But for the most part, the songs’ lyrics are an overdone exercise in otherworldly allegories that make the finishing result intangible. All this is sung in Miller’s crashing roar, as if the content itself wasn’t jumbled enough. It is not the kind of howl that makes the listener feel the music, but rather want to turn it down. Dancers At The End Of Time, the first track after an instrumental prelude, starts off promisingly with an explosive Hammond organ and guitar-driven intro, but the decibel level gets too high when the vocals come thundering in. Behind it all is excellent music, however. There are six people in this band, but the excess, in this respect, is good. Rich guitar riffs and the organ’s presence throughout the album are reminiscent of late 60s/early 70s psychedelic rock along the lines of Vanilla Fudge. Lengthy and frequent guitar solos on top of the organ are a delight and the multi-layered instrumentation is flawless (the last two minutes of Goodbye Ruby are brilliant). The music should remain the same. In fact, it could stand alone. But either the lyrics or the vocals definitely need some tranquilizing. Top quality work is within the band’s grasp, if only they could let go of the one too many layers drowning their potential. Christina Cromeyer Dieke

Secondsmile - new album and tour news!

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 17:43:42 +0000

Fresh from a handful of support slots with Rival Schools last week, Secondsmile release their brand new album on 7th July via Big Scary Monsters Records. The 12 tracker was recorded in New York City earlier this year with producer maestro Andrew Schneider (Cave-In, Pelican, Daughters) and mastered by Greg Calbi (Sonic Youth, David Bowie, John Lennon, Mogwai) and includes the forthcoming single 'Tell Me A Story', the video for which can be seen below: To coincide with the release Secondsmile head out on tour, including two very special launch parties. Catch them on the following dates: 02.07 – London, The Metro (Album launch w/ The Xcerts, Colour and very special guest) 04.07 – Bridport, Electric Palace (Homecoming album launch) 05.07 – Guilfest, Guildford (w/ Blondie, Fightstar, Kula Shaker) 10.07 – Reading, The Face Bar (w/ The Defeat, Caesura) 11.07 – Leicester, Charlotte 12.07 – Wakefield, Escobar 14.07 – Glasgow, Stereo (w/ The Ocean Fracture) 15.07 – Newcastle, The End 16.07 – Birmingham, Flux @ The Yardbird (w/ Sunset Cinema Club) 17.07 – Mansfield, Town Mill 23.07 - Southampton, Lennon's (w/ Caesura) 'Years' can now be pre-ordered from www.bsmrocks.com and comes free with a copy of the band's 5 track Astronauts single, taken from 2006's debut album, Walk Into The Light And Reach For The Sky.

Ashley Reaks album review

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 15:39:24 +0000

Ashley Reaks - Melancholia http://www.ashleyreaks.com/ Artist, musician, and comedian Ashley Reaks is a man of many interests, and this comes across on his album Melancholia - an interesting blend of ominous musical backdrops over African and Indian influenced beats, with a bit of punk thrown in for good measure. Imagine Nine Inch Nails if a mellow Trent Reznor took interest in world rhythms. To keep things from becoming dull, Reaks has included a few tracks that go in unexpected directions. There are three instrumental tracks on the album that all sound as if they are drawing from different genres respectively, but are still excellent nonetheless. There are also the songs which would have to be likened to spoken word. On these tracks, Reaks recites prose eloquently, if somewhat perplexingly, over mesmerizing grooves. Amongst these She Burns stands out with its Indian-style trills erupting between Reaks’ stanzas. Melancholia is perfect for a person suffering from just that. Ashley Reaks has crafted an album of mellow, calming sounds, excluding I’ve Got Everything (That Nobody Wants), which blares during the middle as the most obvious example of his punk influences yet. If this album doesn’t spur some sort of positive emotion, then it probably wasn’t heard properly and deserves another listen. Coren J. Cogdell

Don't miss! The Tunics

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 10:08:26 +0000

Having initially and uniquely released their debut LP, Somewhere In Somebody's Heart, over the course of twelve weeks as six two-trackfree downloads each fortnight, The Tunics have announced the following dates to celebrate the release of the finished album: JULY Wed 02 DERBY The Venue Thu 03 LEEDS Trash Fri 04 GLASGOW Classic Grand Sat 05 EDINBURGH Ark Sun 06 GUILDFORD Guildfest (afternoon) Sun 06 CROYDON The Edge (evening) Wed 09 LEICESTER The Shed Thu 10 NEWCASTLE Bernaccia Fri 11 MANCHESTER Jabez Clegg Sat 12 LIVERPOOL Magnet Sat 26 LONDON Purple Turtle Click here for tickets

Don't miss! Millencolin

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 09:59:13 +0000

Swedish punk rockers Millencolin will embark on a UK tour in September 2008, in support of Machine 15-their latest album and the first one since 2005’s Kingwood. Machine 15 is out now on Burning Heart/Epitaph Records Millencolin UK tourdates: 23-Sep - Birmingham - Academy 24-Sep - Bristol - Academy 25-Sep - London - LA 2 26-Sep - Portsmouth - Wedgewood Rooms 27-Sep - Nottingham - Rock City 28-Sep - Manchester - Academy 3 29-Sep - Glasgow - Garage Click here for tickets

Don't miss! Derek Meins

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 15:19:39 +0000

If you have nothing else to do tonight (23 June), or even if you do, you'd be well advised to head down to the Enterprise in Camden, where Derek Meins, formerly of awesome Scottish indie band Eastern Lane will be playing a show backed by the equally fantastic Mumford & Sons. Expect some outrageous spoken word, some emotionally sharp songs and a jolly good ol' knees up! Click here for tickets

Don't miss! Fields of Nephilim

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 14:00:51 +0000

Fields Of The Nephilim will play two separately themed concerts, with the night of Saturday, 12th July themed ‘Ad mortem’, while 13th July is billed as ‘Ad Vitam’. Rather than focusing, as it might seem, on the band’s early, and then late catalogue of music, the two shows present two different musical journeys about mood and setting rather than a chronological list of songs. Both nights will be filmed for a double CD / DVD release later in the year. Click here for tickets

Feeder album review

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:30:57 +0000

Feeder - Silent Cry (Echo) http://www.feederweb.com/ Feeder are back with their first full album of new material since 2005. Fans that have been waiting since their hits compilation, Singles, was released will not be disappointed - Silent Cry is one continuous, melodic drive from front to back. The first and last tracks actually serve the sequencing extremely well, with the latter still carrying the energy of the overall album, yet with it a calm that signals the record’s approaching end. We Are The People roars at the beginning, announcing the band’s anticipated entrance, but that feeling dwindles somewhat as the songs continue. Even those that are a little lacklustre, though, still sound stadium ready for tens of thousands of screaming fans. The highlight of the album is Who’s The Enemy, whose catchy chorus sits on top of memorable guitar riffs which sit on top of string arrangements and which all segues into the following track, Space. It’s a bare, mellow interlude that transitions directly into the synthesizer assisted hard rock of Into The Blue, all of which eventually lead to Sonorous, the album’s triumphant closing song. A few of the tracks on Silent Cry sound similar enough to leave you asking, “Didn’t I just hear that?”, but in the end the album is undeniably addictive and worthy of multiple replays. Feeder seems to have perfected their formula, and their latest offering stands as a testament to that. Coren J. Cogdell

Don't miss! Baby Lemonade

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:38:22 +0000

Baby Lemonade, the neo-psychedelic power-pop quartet from Los Angeles who performed with Arthur Lee in his final incarnation of Love, have confirmed a seventeen date UK tour, commencing on October 16th. In 2006 when Arthur Lee passed away fans all around the world mourned. Now his estate has welcomed Baby Lemonade’s decision to continue the tradition of Love’s music and officially endorsed Baby Lemonade’s UK tour, billed as A Celebration Of The Music Of Arthur Lee and Love. Tour dates as follows: 16th October - Swansea - Pontardawe Arts Centre 17th October - Southampton - The Brook 18th October - Coventry - Warwick Arts Centre 19th October - London - The Scala 20th October - York - The Duchess 21st October - Edinburgh - Liquid Room 22nd October - Glasgow - ABC 2 23rd October - Manchester - Academy 3 24th October - Sheffield - Boardwalk 25th October - Milton Keynes - Stables 26th October - Leicester - The Musician 27th October - Cambridge - Junction 2 28th October - Norwich - Arts Centre 29th October - Wolverhampton - Robin 30th October - Brighton - Komedia 31st October - Cardiff - The Joint 1st November -Bristol - The Fleece Click here for tickets