Another local unsigned band, this time from Coventry, and although I've gigged with them once or twice, I don't really know much about them. I believe at least one member of the band is a music teacher at one of the local universities and this comes across in the excellent musicianship and well crafted songwriting on the album. It's brilliantly recorded and the album is better than most albums by more established bands. The songs feature excellent drums, good bass playing, intricate guitarwork and some really nice melodic synth parts and the lyrical themes cover most aspects of modern life. Unfortunately on searching online it seems that they may have split up.
They're a very difficult band to pigeonhole but remind me a little of intelligent pop rock like XTC and Mansun. Unfortunately there are no studio recordings up on youtube, so the best I can find is this live video of them playing album highlight "The Things That Scare You" at Birmingham rock pub "Scruffy Murphys"...
The Band, previously known as The Hawks were Bob Dylans backing band on his 1966 tour (The one where he went electric and was called "Judas" at Manchester Free Trade Hall). In 1967 they spent time jamming and songwriting with Dylan at their house "Big Pink" in upstate New York (not far from Woodstock). Recordings from this time were later released as "The Basement Tapes", but then in 1968 The Band decided to record their own debut album "Music From Big Pink". Two songs co-written with Dylan were included, "Tears Of Rage" and "This Wheel's On Fire", plus "I Shall Be Released" which was entirely written by Dylan. The Dylan connecton gained them a lot of attention at the time, butto be honest, their own songs are just as good. "Chest Fever" and "The Weight" in partcular are astoundingly good songs.
It's a massively influential album, without it's blend of calm electric guitar, piano, swirling hammond organ and harmony vocals the music now known as "Americana" or "Alt. Country" would sound very different. Plus, The Band all had really good beards. These things are important.
Here's the opening track, "Tears Of Rage"...
(again, those lovely people at EMI have blocked the studio version on youtube, so here's a live version from woodstock in 1969)
Pete Doherty, Beduff's other contribution to the musical world, is a bit of a wasted talent. I've seen him live a couple of times, and despite his amy of followers beleiving everything he does is perfect, 90% of his work is mediocre at best, but the odd gem does shine through. Killamangiro is one of those gems. It's got al the ragged charm of the early Libertines tracks and it's excellently produced by Paul Epworth (who also does some excellent remixes under the name "Phones").
The B-side is a fairly generic, unremarkable track called "The Man Who Came To Stay" but it's worth it for the pure energy of the A-side, just don't belive the hype about the other stuff...
Azure Ray are a folky dream pop duo signed to Saddle Creek records (my second favourite label after Chemikal Underground) and New Resolution was the second single to be released from their 2003 album "Hold On Love", an album which featured a much more electronic sound than their previous work. "New Resolution" demonstrates Triphopesque influences and features a Postal Service remix on the B-Side.
The solo debut album from ex Hole and Smashing Pumpkins bassist Melissa Auf Der Maur. has a similar sort of vibe to the A Perfect Circle stuff, which is understandable as it features some of the same musicians. James Iha, Paz Lenchantin and Geordie White (otherwise known as Twiggy Ramirez) all feature on both projects, though not all at the same time, and both have their sounds based in metal, but blended with alternative new wave guitar pop. The album also features members of Queens Of The Stone Age and Fu Manchu.
Standout tracks include "Followed The Waves", "Real A Lie", "Would If I Could" and this, "Taste You" featuring Mark Lanegan on guest vocals...
At The Zoo are/were (they seem to have possibly reformed) a local Tamworth based indie/ska/punk band, taking influence from modern indie type stuff like The Libertines and the Strokes, with a Two Tone streak. Nouveau Popular was their 3 track EP.
No videos on youtube unfortunately but there's a track on Vimeo, although it won't embed. here's the link. https://vimeo.com/7167267
At The Drive In came to my (and most peoples attention) in 2000 when they released their breakthrough album "Relatonship Of Command", It's an excellentalbum of Fugazi styled punk rock so I felt compelled to investigate further by getting some of their earlier albums. Glad I did as In/Casino/Out is even better. It's got a slightly more chilled out vibe to it and the songs are excellent. The lyrics are rather enigmatic but still pretty good. I was briefly in a band called "Little Arcade" which took our name from "Hulahoop Wounds" on this album (unfortunately the guitarist took all of his influences from At The Drive In so we split up shortly after due to musical similarities).
Also you've got to love an album with a song called "Napoleon Solo". But here's "Hulahoop Wounds" cos it's awesome...
