REVIEW: DOUBLE ECHO - PHANTOMIME (LP)

Double Echo, by their own admission, rifle freely through time’s rolodex; alighting upon the dry ice visions of 80s goth rock/pop. Via their press release, Double Echo (helmed exclusively by two members of El Toro) deem their music as a sense of déjà-vu; the feeling “summoned when the obscure and the obsolete stumble into the realm of the oneiric.” Tough talking and straight out of the Shelley playbook.

Phantomime evidently harks back to another decade, certainly, but don’t allow that to act as a detriment. All of the easy comparisons are there and staring you in the face. Phantomime comes replete with markers and signifiers of groups like The Cure, Joy Division, Bahaus and a dash of Bowie for good measure.

Veering from the album’s speedy eponymous track, swelling into shadowy bombast with ‘A Shadow’, the thudding rhythm section that carries ‘The Wake’ and the eerie malevolence that permeates ‘Hours’, Double Echo have provided the perfect soundtrack to any number of situations; the slow walk home in the dark, the end of an inevitably doomed romance or the sense of grim determination that a lot of us are imbued with.

Significantly bass-led, the record is, as they as say, a riddle wrapped in an enigma. Chris Luna’s vocals duck and weave around the music, giving it that air of (very) early Michael Stipe and his barely legible voice patterns. Both Luna and bandmate Ash Lerczack, supplying all instrumentation themselves, have strived to create one of the more unique records Liverpool has fostered in the past few years.

Phantomime can be purchased HERE for £7. EDiLS Recordings have, as ever, been kind enough to allow a full album stream from this site:

GALLERY: PURE LOVE @ ZANZIBAR, LIVERPOOL, JULY 2012

I don't profess to be a photographer of any great repute (as the evidence will soon show), but having all of these random photos on my phone going to waste seemed pointless. This site will be putting up a few posts in the coming weeks comprising of gig photos and other music-based curiosity.

JOHNNY5THWHEEL&THECOWARDS - DIARY OF A LIAR

Hailing from the North West of England, Johnny5thwheel&thecowards are a self-described "psych-folk" band with a fair amount of verve and spring in their step. Already with two LPs released, and a third due sometime this year, their latest single is a little teaser of what may come with their next album.

'Diary Of A Liar', released in April, is an addictive little tune with enough calm and poise to deliver what feels like a subtly caustic message. Crazy combination of emotions, sure...but when it's called "psych-folk", what else can you expect?

A QUICK WORD WITH GHOSTING SEASON

Mancunian electronica duo, Gavin Miller and Tom Ragsdale aka Ghosting Season, are coming to the Kazimier tonight, as part of new live electronica label, FIELDS tour of the UK. They'll be joined by Slow Revolt, and the line up also features special guests D/R/U/G/S. The show starts at 8 and tickets are £7. Given the fact that the Kazimier is an awesome little venue, and it's Thursday night so you really have nothing to do (I don't care who you are, no one is ever busy on a Thursday night), I strongly recommend you come down and check these guys out.

I caught up with the lads, before the gig for a quick word.

Q)Tell us a little bit about how you guys got together and started making music.

Tom - We were in a pretty heavy band before Ghosting Season! There was 6 of us in total, but we all had different visions on how to play music, so the band naturally broke up (as bands do). Gavin had done a ton of ambient tracks on his computer and i thought they were really cool! There wasn't a point were we thought 'this is a band', but we were jamming loads on terrible equipment and it just sort of came together!

Q) You're currently on a mini tour of the UK and further afield. How has it been going? Had you done much touring before?

Gavin - It's been incredible so far! We're having a lot of fun, and this is what we love to do most in the band. We try to tour as much as possible whenever we can, which is usually a few times a year!

Tom - we were in Paris last weekend and the people there were going insane to us. Some 'serious' dancing happening! Some of our equipment was broken too, but we managed to borrow everything we needed literally within 5 minutes of stage time, and the gig just fell into place beautifully!

Q) You play The Kazimier in Liverpool on the 30th. Will this be your first time playing to a Liverpool audience? Have either of you visited Liverpool much before?

Tom - To be honest, we've played Liverpool a TON of times in the past year or so, and loved it every time. Our favourite Liverpool gig was playing at St George's Hall and then after we finished there we drove over to the O2 Academy and played again! That was for a Renaissance showcase with FREEZE. The Liverpool crowds are like Manchester's, which is awesome because it's always people who are into the music and very upfront with their dancing! It's becoming our 2nd home.

Q) You're both from Manchester and played your hometown on the 24th. Does it give you an extra rush knowing that you're playing to your "home crowd"?

Gav - Yes, it's great fun playing at home as you know that you have a dedicated crowd who are just coming out to see you and are really up for it!

Q) You brought out your album, The Very Last of the Saints, last year and it's been getting some great reviews. Tell us a little bit about the album making process.

Tom - We've started doing these crazy jam sessions were we go into a practice space and mess around for a few hours, and make everything as we go. This is the basis for our tracks and it helps us to shape the music with a more 'live' feel. We operate as a band and like to write as a unit.

Q) Do you prefer playing live or working on/creating new music in the studio?

Gav - They both definitely have their plus points. Hard to decide on a favourite though! Playing live is amazing when the energy's right, nothing can touch it. However, being in the studio is great too as we've just recently splashed out on lots of analogue equipment, so this makes the jam sessions so much fun. It makes it easy to get new ideas out quickly, and of course, it's incredibly fun!

Q) The line-up for the Kazimier gig is you guys, Slow Revolt and D/R/U/G/S. What would your ideal line-up be - to see and or perform with?

Tom - My dream is to play with Underworld. If anyone could make it happen so that Underworld do a 12 hour set and then we join them that would be a great Xmas present!

Gav - Pink Floyd original line up without a doubt. I can't imagine the scenes that would occur!

Q) Your music has been described as "taking a rock approach to the often delicate world of electronica". A lot of indie bands are using a lot of electronic elements in their music now. Do you consider yourselves a rock band or an electronica group?

Gav - I'd say an electronica band that just happens to use guitars, drums and instrumentation that is usually exclusive to rock music. We grew up listening to rock and metal music, and this obviously has an impact on our sound, but we're electronica through and through.

Q) Whose music do you like to listen to?

Tom - We're both listening to a lot of 70s prog and 80s gothy new wave at the moment, taking a lot of influence from bands from these periods. Pink Floyd, Can, Tangerine Dream, Vangelis, Yes, New Order, Bauhaus... spooky stuff with reverb that lasts for centuries.

Q) What are your plans post-tour? When can we expect to see the next Ghosting Season album out?

Gav - We are planning an album next year, but we're focusing on lots of singles this year, the first of which is coming June 24th! It's a very exciting time for us as we haven't had anything out in a while, it feels refreshing!

Ghosting Season play the Kazimier tonight, show starts at 8. The tour then moves onto -

31st May - London, Dance Tunnel

8th June - Brudenell Social Club

Listen to the guys here, and make sure you head down to the Kaz, in Wolstenholme Square! Their album, The Very Last of Saints, is out now!

REVIEW: TEAR TALK/DEATH MASKS SPLIT EP (EDiLS RECORDINGS)

Yet another fine release from EDiLs Recordings as they seek to narrow their focus. From the earlier days of sprawling (but very welcome) compilations, they are bringing forth a more refined approach. This split release from Liverpool’s own Tear Talk and Death Masks is a fine lesson in brooding, atmospheric music that isn’t afraid to show neither its light nor dark side.

Tear Talk take up the first 50% of the record and opener ‘As You Were’ immediately calls to mind the hazy rush of Neil Young’s ‘Psychedelic Pill’. The distorted wash remains as a backdrop throughout, carried along by drumming that earns plaudits by being both steady and inventive.

‘XXY’ is a gaunt, fragile number with enough room for the bass to run with the ball for a spell, while ‘Put It To Bed’ combines the best of the two previous tracks. Anything left unsaid is now with Death Masks…

…and a fine job they do of it too. From a great showing at Sound City, the five-piece are due to move onwards and upwards. ‘Solutions’ is a sprightly number, all jangle and shine with a hint of foreboding lying underneath.

‘What I See’ stews in its own juices for a while before powering to a beautiful crescendo. The EP’s closing track ‘Who Built The Walls?’ apes Tear Talk in as much as bringing together the best elements of their other offerings.

Another showcase of the best Liverpool currently has to offer, with EDiLS also set to release Double Echo’s debut LP imminently.  In a month that saw a host of international artists ply their trade in the city’s venues, this split is an indication that this city can match them pound-for-pound, song-for-song.

EP can be purchased HERE for £5. EDiLS have been generous enough to allow this site to stream it below.

GHOSTPOET @ EAST VILLAGE ARTS CLUB, LIVERPOOL 21/5/13

With his biography stating that he was “raised from somewhere between London, Coventry, Nigeria and Dominica”, it stands to reason that Ghostpoet’s audience upstairs at the East Village Arts Club would be cut from any number of cloths. Glamour girls mixed with Irish banter merchants mixed with rockers in beanie hats and Nirvana shirt and a lot more besides. A suitably varied demographic for an artist with the best of national and international flavour.

On the road in aid of his second LP, Some Say I So I Say Light, Ghostpoet’s stock, application and craft has grown exponentially since his Mercury Prize-nominated debut Peanut Butter Blues and Melancholy Jam. His set that night was another great leap forward for Ghostpoet and his group.

The epitome of urban cool, Ghostpoet is a lean mix of man and machine; bedecked with biceps that make you wanna hit the gym ASAP, he leaned heavily upon an array of tricks and pedals that gave his voice a smooth tone, ghostly echoes and harsh barks at any given time.

His backing group are a talented trio. To his right and in the shadows stood a keyboard player, playing the Manzarek role with bassy tones that lay the foundations for a wilfully erratic and super-skilled drummer. Behind the main man was a multi-instrumentalist; switching effortlessly between keys, guitar and bass, lending real gravitas to Ghostpoet’s variety of sounds and moods.

There’s plenty to be excited about with an artist who, you may argue, is still finding his feet and has a lot more to come. ‘Plastic Bag Brain’, from the new record, provided one of the highlights of the set; its jaunty, playful and addictive guitar run providing plenty to think about on the long, lonely bus ride home. However, it was ‘Liiines’ that gave the crowd the most to sing about. Perhaps his anthem du jour, the song provides uplift to mood, energy and outlook. Given the audience’s reaction, pushing forward, singing along with Ghostpoet and counting along with the track’s “one one two two three three four” refrain, it’s a view that wouldn’t be discouraged.

The next time Ghostpoet returns, he will be worthy of a bigger crowd and even more buzz.

ALLS WE ARE IS SAYING IS GIVE REED A CHANCE

Never really being somebody who gives a fuck what people say or think about him, it's fair to say that Lou Reed harbours a reputation bordering on 'difficult'. I've read at least two interviews where his icy stare and strict-father-silence routine have reduced his interrogators to human rubble. First, this rather pathetic Guardian interview from 2003, wherein the interviewer quickly loses whatever slight amount of cool he started with. The second is another verbal rumble with Lester Bangs, found in the 'Psychotic Reactions and Carburetor Dung' anthology, wherein Reed's monosyllabic, antagonistic answers finally get the better of one of rock writing's sharpest minds. For people who idolise him, it's probably best to err on the side of the old adage "never meet your heroes."

I've always found Reed's music to be a challenge. His monotonous drawl and frank recollections of a life a world away from my own can make it really difficult to get under the surface of his songs. However, I've recently been hammering away at the Sally Can't Dance LP; a curious combo of uplifting rock and rollers and lyrics that ruminate on the darker side of life.

The album is unique in Reed's swollen discog. It brought him his highest chart placing to date and is also the first to not feature any Velvet re-workings. It was also his first solo effort to be recorded in the USA, the rest having been recorded in the UK. Typically, ever the contrarian, Reed was dissatisfied with the record. He had a moan about the production, of which he took a step back from this time, and remarked that "it seems like the less I'm involved with a record, the bigger a hit it becomes. If I weren't on the record at all next time around, it might go to Number One."

Under pressure from label RCA to deliver another quick hit, he instead submitted the master tapes for Metal Machine Music. The rest, as they say, is history.

THE TOM WAITRESSES @ LIVERPOOL SOUND CITY, MAY '13.

Covering Sound City for the Getintothis blog was a tough ol' schedule. I know there are tougher things in life, but being drunk, weighed down by an overstuffed bag and dashing between venues can be something of a nightmare. Late on the Thursday night, I caught The Tom Waitresses, a Norwegian group who specialised in covers of...can you guess?...Boyzo-...no, Tom Waits songs. Their vocalist, Marita Mara, is more than a tad sultry. I've no shame in admitting I was a little bit in love for a few minutes. The players in the band were exceptional. I'm not one to get my phone out at gigs and film; just happy to actually watch who's playing. Luckily, a mindful member of the audience caught a snippet of it. If you look closely to the left of the video, you can just about make me out, gently swaying...both to the beat and the £5 bottles of wine I was tanking on all day. It's a tough job etc etc.

HEARTTHROB - 'KITE' & 'BLUSH': MORE MILWAUKEE MADNESS

Only this evening was I urged to click a link for another smooth, driven and addictive group from Milwaukee. Must be something in the water there, right? Anyhow, say hello to Heartthrob. These two singles were released in March and May 2013 respectively. Enjoy...I know I did!

REVIEW: NEIL JARVIS - WEEKENDS (LP)

Wigan-based Neil Jarvis’ album sounds like it was recorded in a box room on a lonely northern week, and frankly it’s all the better for it. From the hazy, dreamy eponymous opening instrumental we get a good measure of what’s ahead; tender songs with a hint of danger lying just beneath the surface. Single ‘What’s Done Is Done’ is a wayward slice of pop magic that gives an air of naivety but delivers its message with a dash of seen-it-all-before self-assurance. Some musicians see the term “lo-fi” as an insult; demeaning to the quality of the tracks. In this instance it’s a compliment to the triumph of adversity over any mechanical, chronological and/or monetary shortcomings Jarvis may incur in relation to more prominent contemporaries. As if some other-worldly set of lullabies, Weekends is something you can dig if it’s sunny out or pissing down. Truly a record for all seasons!

At its best, Weekends sounds like a melted hybrid of the Brian Jonestown Massacre and a more reserved My Bloody Valentine. Having already drawn comparisons with Pavement and Felt, it’s not difficult to come to such conclusions. At its worst, it can meander and repeat itself a little too much. But hey, what’s a little lost time between friends?

https://soundcloud.com/neil-jarvis

REVIEW: THE TEMPS - VIOLA EP

The last time we talked about The Temps on this site was back in February 2012. The setting was a rather ill-fated gig supporting The Men at Liverpool’s Kazimier. Vocalist Joey Wainwright spoke of his disappointment with both the sound and the group’s performance. Overall, there was a sense of something greater having been lost. Regularly featured in the ‘Ones To Watch’ sections of local mags and websites, playing on the New Acts stages of various festival shindigs, The Temps were at one stage poised to make some real headway in Liverpool and beyond. For whatever reason, they seemed to drop off the map completely. Or maybe I'm just not paying as much attention as I should. Either is quite feasible.

…but that’s all in the past, as The Temps are back and have a new EP to show off. VIOLA is a record that keeps the old energy that made them such a curious prospect in the first place and mixes it with a fair dash of wanton aggression. The record’s centrepiece is the suitably radioactive ‘Chernobyl’, which sees Wainwright scream “I’ve been here before…and I don’t like it!” over a disgusting little riff.

Their sonic evolution has seen them utilise the random sounds and weirdness that peppered pretty much everything The Mars Volta ever did, and ‘Chernobyl’s’ haunting fade-out ending carries on this fine new tradition.

The remaining brace of tracks, ‘Distilled’ and ‘VIOLA’, feature lyrics that spy upon a distorted suburban hell: “This is not what you needed; your deadbeat father beaten to death in your mother’s garden by your best friend.” Eatchaheartout, Jeremy Kyle. Each of the three songs on VIOLA feature a restless energy that can only come from a few months knocking about on the sidelines recording.

It’s all a bit of a love-in right now in the city. Maybe it’s time we let some feral little bastards loose to throw a few bricks and set fire to a couple of cars. It breaks up the tension, ya know.

https://www.facebook.com/TempsTempsTemps

https://twitter.com/thetemps

https://soundcloud.com/thetemps

PSY-OPS IN POP'S 38th PARALLEL

During a conversation with Anton Newcombe on Twitter (YEAH I’M NAMEDROPPING) he imparted the following theory to me:

@jjviney point i want to make is the reason you all dace crazy to psy,the psy=op -is you needed to be hypnotized to care about south koreans
— antonnewcombe (@antonnewcombe) April 2, 2013

Ok so it’s something of a stretch, but in its own convoluted way it makes sense. Now, as North Korea’s bluster reaches fever pitch (it’s now or never, Kim) a timely piece of pop-propaganda hits the wires.

Psy, the progenitor of the mysteriously popular and still unfunny Gangnam Style disease, is due to release his follow-up. Called ‘Gentleman’, expect it to feature heavily on anything internet-related for the next few months. Here’s the rub though, it’s fantastic…ally shit:

He’s definitely saying he’s a “mother fucker gentleman.”

Before the legions of Korean pop fans come and zerg-rush my house saying “he’s not a one-hit wonder” and so on…I’m aware. He’s been big in Korea for years yes yes yes. I’m waving my hand dismissively as I type that. To the rest of us he’s a one-hit wonder, so play my game.

Oddly, the so-called intellectual press have been delving deep into the meaning and wonders of this imminent release; bestowing upon it the kind of analysis usually reserved for something by Nick Cave or Tom Waits. There seems to be no real need or reason for it; a rather po-faced piece from The Independent sculpted it as Psy’s own Chinese Democracy. But really, how hard can it be to lay down a few repetitive beats and pen some lyrics that pretty much read as “I’m sexy, I’m glittery, shake your booty woop woop.”

I don't want to get all David Icke on you here, but maybe Newcombe was onto something. Although the chances of the DPRK actually raining death on their estranged brothers is realistically small (they just want to be paid-off to shut up), it's in our own 'interests' to be on the side of South Korea if the Bad Things happen. Maybe the cavalry will consist of Psy and his legions riding in on invisible horses.

SAVE MELLOMELLO: POPULAR LIVERPOOL CULTURAL HUB SEEKS FUNDS FOR CONTINUED EXISTENCE

(The official line and fundraising page is HERE. I'd rather you saw that first before anything else.)

Even in death, Margaret Thatcher and her policies provoke debate. One question that stemmed from her Premiership and has been asked countless times since revolves around the role of society/community in the world, or indeed whether it exists at all.

There are people born fundamentally good and there are some born fundamentally bad. For better or worse, it’s the best we have and so we have to share this at-times piss awful rock with a whole lot of people we don’t like. Whether that constitutes a living, breathing society is of course open for debate…

…so when an opportunity arrives to do something for those you feel an affiliation with, those you might never know but share a headspace with, the lure can be incalculable.

All of this brings us to another bugle-led rallying cry for MelloMello, a popular, varied and YES, vital part of Liverpool’s buzzing culture. It is at once a gig venue, a dining space that caters to vegan, veggie and coeliac alike, a place to try out rare, imported beers. It’s also home to dance classes, yoga and even the HQ of pink-paged monthly music mag Bido Lito. Too many events to list reside in this old mauve house of fun; Free Rock N' Roll Festival, events from EDiLS, NEWPATH, open mic nights, acting masterclasses and so on and so on.

MelloMello, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company and staffed by volunteers, do not own the freaky, creaky purple building they currently occupy. Consequently, it is now up for sale. In their own words:

“The company who have transformed this previously derelict space into a vibrant cultural hub over the past five years have submitted a succesful offer for the purchase of the property in order to KEEP MELLOMELLO and prevent the building from falling into the hands of commercial developers and corporate investors looking to open up yet another chain-bar or supermarket in Liverpool city centre.”

As you would imagine, interest in the building is high and many will seek to take advantage of it. Yes, change is good…but not for its own sake. There is of course every chance that prospective new owners may allow MelloMello to continue operating on a rent basis. Yet, there is every chance of that NOT occurring too.

Lovely, innit?

MelloMello have already secured a superb £10,000 but alas, the fight is nowhere near over just yet. Another whopping £30,000 is needed to secure enough cash to hand to bid for the mortgage and make a proper fist of things, lest it is left for the cruel fates to decide. Not long after fighting off the advances of the City Council and their draconian ploy of the rescinding of rate relief, MelloMello, its staff, its owners and US, the so-called Liverpool arts and culture grassroots community face another long slog to secure what has been made ours, and should be kept that way for a long while yet.

Each donation does not come without its merit or gratitude, and a sliding scale of perks and rewards awaits those who monetarily assist in any way possible. The list of gratuities includes:

• A day's worth of recording whatever you desire in the music studio with an experienced producer and engineer.
• A limited edition Bido Lito! Bundle featuring a compilation cassette of the best new Liverpool bands, a Bido Lito! t-shirt and a year's subscription to the magazine!
• A Yoga taster course in the Tilt Dance Studio!
• A portrait of you or whoever you want....in cake form!
• A limited edition print commemorating your brilliance in helping to Keep MelloMello
• A FREE PASS to any event in MelloMello EVER!
• A private "lock in" for you and your pals with some free booze and food!
• A whisky (or other spirit!) tasting evening for you and 3 mates.

If MelloMello secure their own future with the help of its people, refurbishments and improvements can be made upon every facet of the structure, its range of goods and acts on display. As we are continually reminded, times are tough. Nobody will stand up and chase that argument down…but instead of that last beer or that pouch of tobacco…throw a few quid in the pot and make a real difference to a lot of people’s lives in your local area.

PERSONAL MUSH TIME:

I won’t lie, and it’s fairly obvious, I love MelloMello. It’s a safe haven and has a hell of a vibe. Without it, I wouldn't have met so many people in the city’s artistic underground that I can call friends. Without it, I wouldn't have witnessed so many superb displays of musical prowess, theatrical shenanigans, good laughs, memories, great drink and food. Nor would my wife have had so much choice of sweets and treats, being a coeliac and all. I wouldn’t have been able to cut my teeth at the writing coalface without Bido Lito’s presence in the upstairs of the building. Jesus, this venue was host to my first two stand-up shows. Any other venue in town would have stared me down with contempt and hostility, but not this gaff. Let’s all get it together and see how we get on.

For more information and to get involved, visit the Save MelloMello Facebook page HERE. Below is the donation link with a progress bar and the ability to put forward some of your hard-earned. I’m not affiliated with MelloMello in any way. I’m just a guy who knows what side his (gluten free!) bread’s buttered on. Thank you in advance.

REVIEW: THE STROKES - COMEDOWN MACHINE

The Strokes’ fifth (and possibly final) album seems like the punch line to a wry, laconic joke that we never understood in the first place. Released with minimal fanfare (one interview) and with no plans to tour, the band who were so lauded upon their first release look set to fade away with little to no fuss. Comedown Machine, on the surface, seems little than else than an exercise in contractual obligation.

Of course, if you believe all that you read, then the NY five-piece have never really made it easy for themselves. Interviews and gossip in the past has hinted at tensions between them; difficult writing/recording processes, broken relationships and uncertain futures. Consequently, this had made the Strokes quite easy to hate, as they have the magical ability to make being a successful musician the most difficult and resentful job in the world. Try telling that to a billion clock-punchers across the world, lads.

Perversely, for what may be their last record, it has a fair amount of energy. With their phasers always set to ‘laid-back’, they finally seem to have rallied and delivered a record that incriminates, settles scores and puts their world to rights. Maybe this is what they needed all along.

Casablancas’ lyrics, always verging on the surreal side, purport to grant listeners a touch more clarity than usual. The first verse of ‘Welcome To Japan’, with its organic disco vibe, sees JC mock his would-be contemporaries: “Putting up posters for your bands, now I tear them down with my hands.” This could be his sly way of saying “yeah, been there, done that…and I don’t much like your stuff either.”

‘80s Comedown Machine’, far from the moroseness its title suggest, is in fact a racy, guttural and punk-branded number that sees JC howling “don’t judge me.” Following immediately after, ‘Slow Animals’ carries with it a sense of maudlin emotion that seems to be mourning…something. It feels like end…but the end of what? The sly laughter that bleeds the song out at the end brings us back to that whole “punch line” element. Who’s laughing at who these days?

The dirge of ‘50/50’ is the album’s real letdown moment and completely fucks up the built-up pressure of what came before it. However, by time we reach closing track ‘Call It Fate, Call It Karma’ we are back on steadier ground; the latter track sounding like the last dance of the night in a ramshackle club facing dereliction. Fitting, perhaps?

Tight drumming, pulsing bass and some fairly wild solos from Albert Hammond Jr. are indicators that the Strokes can always keep up with themselves and everybody else. It’s a pity this might be the last time we hear from them. Let’s see how we get on.

SILENS @ MELLO MELLO, LIVERPOOL - 6TH APRIL

As Liverpool’s city centre reeled from the apocalyptic mores of the Grand National’s post-event drinkers, a more enticing proposition was to be found, as per usual, at Mello Mello. London-based Silens had made the journey up, and the teeming crowd and music on offer told both us and the group it was more than a worthwhile venture.

Silens’ singer informed the mob before him that their bassist had only been drafted in as a replacement that morning, learning the songs in double-quick time, polishing them in a speedy rehearsal that afternoon. No worries though, as his command of that lovely rumble was convincing enough to have you believe he’d joined a long while ago.

Switching effortlessly between more whimsical, captivating numbers and songs with a great deal of energy and noise, Silens allowed their aural offerings to draw hypnotic trace lines. ‘What Makes It So’, their second song of the night was reminiscent of the type of guitar music the English made their own, sold to the Americans and then took back shortly after; a touch of that early-Floyd dreamlike state coupled with an attitude that always seemed on the verge of something a bit more crazy.

By time they reached their final song, ‘1718’, the energy had ramped up considerably. A final few minutes that was nothing more than a controlled demolition of squeals, power chords and crashing drums was a fitting end to a set from a group with plenty to say and the talent to convey it more than eloquently. Come back soon!

MAGIC BAND @ ERIC'S, LIVERPOOL: PHOTOVIDEOSCAPE.

REVIEW - IN LOVE

Give Peace A Chance! So said Jesus Christ...or someone like him. He had long hair and a lot of "crazy" ideas about love, brotherhood and understanding. Whoever said it, they were right! The Birmingham based 5 piece are the new darlings of the indie music scene - and with good reason!

With their debut album, In Love, due out this week (25th March...in CD, Digital and LP format from your nearest high street music chain - if it's still in business), Peace are drawing admiring glances from both sides of the pond and are all set to climb to the toppermost of indie music's greasy pole, this summer.

Having listened to an advance copy of In Love, it's easy to see why everyone is falling over themselves to praise them. 5 good looking blokes who combine the grunginess of Nirvana, the swagger of 90s Britpop and the psychedelic fuzziness of 60s West Coast pop, the debut ticks a lot of boxes.

My particular favourites, closing tracks Sugarstone and California Daze, could have been written by a love-bead wearing Brian Wilson, Roger McGuinn or Crosby, Stills and Nash. As lead singer Harry Koisser sings, "changing the order, must be something in the water" you find yourself drifting downstream on a wave of 60s euphoria and optimism.

It seems like everyone is looking backwards at the moment for their inspiration, whether it's Jake Bugg ripping off Bob Dylan's act wholesale (yeah, I went there) or folk-inspired songsmiths like Mumford and Sons. Done as an homage, as with this album, it's not a bad thing and in actual fact can be quite innovative. 

Other stand-outs, Follow Baby and Lovesick have that same swagger and energy as the early Arctic Monkeys, which isn't particuarly surprsising when you consider producer Jim Abiss put together the Monkey's debut Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (still one of the best British debut albums of all time). 

Give Peace A Chance? I think this year, you definitely should. 

REVIEW: ASIWYFA - ALL HAIL BRIGHT FUTURES

The name of their latest LP is a most prescient one, as And So I Watch You From Afar (ASIWYFA) look set to grow even more beyond their current swollen and adulated size.

Time for a confession, I suppose. Their first two albums, as well-received as they were, never really did it for me. The talent and drive was undeniable, and it gained my respect. Their live show (witnessed at Kazimier, Liverpool, October ’10) was a lesson in a wild mix of brutish noise and expert finesse. Still, their records passed by with a few listens and an utterance of “well, good for them.”

It’s all changed with the new album, and you’re looking at a new and very dedicated fan. As if beamed in from a videogame dimension, All Hail Bright Futures is an absolute whirlwind of everything you want from a rock album. All band members are cooking with flamethrowers. Many times will you find yourself striking your leg or nearest flat surface in time with the thundering bass and skull-rattling drums. The guitar work is exemplary and there’s even time for an extended try at vocals on a number of songs, most notably ‘Rats On Rock’.

The standout track here is the short, sweet and intellectually contradictory ‘Like A Mouse’. It’s addictive and makes you wonder “Why am *I* not doing that?”…the best response to an album you could probably get.

REVIEW: SO SEXUAL - THIS IS WHERE THE STORY ENDS (SINGLE)

So Sexual have come on in leaps and bounds since their formation last year. After hitting the ground running with a couple of quick, exciting releases (ooh-er), they've taken a step back and decided to actually look at the cards they hold.

All for the best, as their first release of 2013, This Is Where The Story Ends, is a deeply affecting and memorable number. Peter Seddon's resonant vocals are a revelation, while Jay Dyke's synth playing is more accomplished; resorting to bridged passages of play instead of the stabs that remained on last year's output.

The rhythm section has shown major signs of growth and development also...because they now have a proper one! Backed by a fourth full-time member and bass player, Phil Rourke's adventurous drumming now has a natural born ally to make hay with.

The single's b-side is Santa Carla, a slower and altogether more meditative number which finds Seddon questioning both past, present and his own memory.

The synth-stylings, the inherent reverb and the dark tone & subject matter are going to cause easy comparisons with groups like The Cure and Interpol. Easy copy for people like us, but it's true...and it's also a good thing. So Sexual might just wanna play around with ya, but they'll be careful and won't give you anything nasty. Embrace them.

So Sexual have been lovely enough to let us stream the new single. Have'atcha and enjoy x

ALBUM REVIEW - SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Last weekend saw the 85th Annual Academy Awards take place in Lala Land U.S.A. Over what felt like 16 weeks of television, a worldwide audience got to see Daniel Day Lewis win his third Oscar thus making him the best actor of all time, Jennifer Lawrence blow everyone away with a speech that was funny, honest and humble, the second coming of Ben Affleck and Seth Macfarlane singing a song about women's breasts that was a new low for human society.

Tucked away amongst the back-slapping, false laughing and red carpet bitchiness, a film from South Africa won the Oscar for Best Documentary. Entitled Searching For Sugar Man, it followed the story of two South Africans in their quest to find out what happened to the singer-songwriter Sixto Rodriguez.

Rodriguez had recorded 2 albums in the early 1970s which, due to a lack of financial backing, had bombed in the US. It's rumoured he managed to sell only 6 copies. Disheartened and embittered, Rodriguez seemingly walked away from the music scene. The power of music however, saw his records transported to South Africa where he became a prophetic voice amongst the Afrikaner underground. Thus the story began to find out what happened to Rodriguez, whether he was still alive and why he had stopped producing music...

I won't spoil the ending for you, but I do suggest you see this movie. For now, the accompanying soundtrack, Searching For Sugar Man, is a fabulous introduction to the man's work. Featuring 14 orginal recordings, all by the man himself it's a truly definitive collection!

The comparisons with a young Bob Dylan are obvious, but (whisper this quietly) there's less of the annoying symbolism that sometimes gets in the way with Dylan songs. If anything it's similar to the late great Harry Nilsson, with a warmth and humour that will have you laughing and (if you've been drinking a lot lately) crying.

Songs like I Think Of You, I Wonder, This Is Not A Song, It's An Outburst: Or, The Establishment Blues and Street Boy are simply too wonderful to have been so cruelly buried by history. I can think of at least 15 more people that I will be recommending this album too, and I guarantee that you will too!

Sixto Rodruguez - Searching for Sugar Man: Orginal Motion Picture Soundtrack is available from your local high street record shop, and online etc. Buy it now before the world's economy collapses and the only things we buy are food and bandages.