Title: Now That’s What I Call Sauce 2 (play it loud vol. 2)
Artwork:
Type: Album
Here we go with part two of this years Worcester Music Festival compilation, the album opens with a lovely laid back piano led (almost jazzy) rock track, Moving On by The Cohen Brothers that sets the tone for a lighter yet no less impressive collection.
Following on from the wonderful opening number we’re treated to a roller coaster ride of genres and styles from the soulful acoustic driven So Wrong To Love You by Marzipan Moon to the upbeat indie rock of Will Dance For Chocolate via the stunning Obsession, a brilliant electro tinged dark opus by Becky Rose and the boisterous Warm by the punky Stuntdog.
Other than the aforementioned acts further highlights are supplied by the poetic musings of Wes Dance with his folky Americana blend of piano, acoustic guitar and wailing harmonica on live favourite Penance, Laura Thompson with the warm and wonderful Close To You, the acoustic rootsy blues rock of Lounge Tree and the fantastic jerky indie pop of Cliched Poet by Helens Evil Twin.
This second disc is perhaps as not as essential as the first but there are enough highlights to keep the passing obsessive music fan happy and as each of these discs are retailing for a about a fiver they’re well worth investigating.
Website: http://www.worcestermusicfestival.co.uk
Rating: 7
6 August, 2009
Various Artists-Now That’s What I Call Sauce 2 (play it loud part 2)
Various Artists-Now That’s What I Call Sauce 2 (play it loud part 1)
Title: Now That’s What I Call Sauce 2 (play it loud vol. 1)
Artwork:
Type: Album
So a year has past since the first Worcester music festival, in that time bands have come and gone, audiences have dipped and generally the music scene has become a little static, but thankfully August is here and the second music festival is upon us.
This years festival is bigger, bolder and perhaps better than that of 2008, more promoters, venues and bands have come forward to join the festivities, in fact so many people have decided to get involved that the accompanying compilation CD has now grown to become a mammoth
three CD collection. Now this would all be a little too much to digest in one review so I thought to do the CDs justice it was best to take one at a time.
The first CD, Play loud part 1, is as the title suggests a mostly rowdy affair featuring some of Worcester’s best tuning up and rocking out.
The CD opens with Highway 5 before offering up a trio of bawdy indie rock delights in the shape of You’ll find Me In The Archives by Dandelion Killers, Come On Over by Recluse and Maybe by Crooked Empire. As opening salvos go these three tracks are all hard hitting infectious ditties that’ll have even the most casual of music fans nodding their heads in adulation.
Following on we’re served a plethora of highlights including the likes of the contagious punky thrash of Million Miles Away by Society Crisis, the “catchier than swine flu” indie of Pegasus Bridge, the jangly female fronted Skewwhiff, the bombastic funktastic, ball busting duo of The Spoonfedz and Calm Like A Riot and the ever impressive local indie pop merchants Sideways Glance with the sing-a-long classic Easier among others.
This first CD of Now That’s What I Call Sauce vol 2 is a fantastic introduction to the local music scene highlighting a number of the best acts we have to offer, if you want to know about Worcester’s music scene I urge you to pick up a copy of this comp.
Website: http://www.worcestermusicfestival.co.uk
Rating: 9
7 July, 2009
The Brian Jacket Letdown-Darling Bit Me
Title: Darling Bit Me
Artwork:
Type: Album
Record Label: Genepool Records
In the past couple of weeks I’ve had the debut album by London based The Brian Jacket Letdown on repeat play, every time I’ve found myself with a spare hour or two I’ve dived head first into this wonderful 11 track affair and after eachb and every spin I’ve found myself in fits of delight.
The Brian Jacket Letdown are quite unlike any other band you’ll have encountered, sure you can various different influences in their sound but name me another band that manage to weld together Beach Boys harmonies, spacey acid rock, stripped down Americana and indie pop in the space of one song.
The album opens with the wonderful Sometimes, a track that welds together Ukulele and frazzled summery space pop to create a woozy opening number that sets the tone for the album. From here on in we’re taking on a journey of foot stomping space rock monsters such as The Feast, delicate Flaming Lips-like cosmic disco in the shape of White Sky and harmonica enhanced country/folk rock in the shape of Devil In My Room.
And I haven’t even mentiond the amazing six minute plus of Nearly Us, a track that features a brilliant burst of percussion that’ll have even the most casual of listeners tapping merrily away on the first thing that comes to hand.
The band blend in intricate melodies, compelling hooks and gorgeous vocals into each and every track creating a unique and original sound that should find mass appeal to anyone who likes their music slightly off centre.
Darling Bit Me is a simply beautiful release with loads going on and plenty to discover and The Brian Jacket Letdown are one of the best new bands I’ve heard in a long time, stunning stuff.
Website: http://www.thebrianjacketletdown.com
Rating: 10
29 April, 2009
Kyoshi-Bang!
Title: Bang!
Artwork:
Type: Single
Record Label: The Animal Farm
Now this is my kind of release, a single that’s sharp, vibrant, bouncy, contagious and just a little different.
Kyoshi are a four-piece band that originally hail from Leicester but now reside in North London, the band band mix and match musical genres to create a unique and infectious sound that takes in elements of indie, punk, ska and hip-hop, that’ll make even the laziest listener want to get up and dance.
Bang! opens with a laid-back funky guitar riff before lead singer Leanne King joins the mix delivering a wonderfully contagious half-sung, have-rapped vocal drawl, whilst the rest of the band enter the proceedings, providing a bouncy elastic ska theme to the already potent mix. If that wasn’t enough already, the band throw in a massive chorus just for good measure, creating the first must have feel good anthem of the summer (and it’s only April).
The B-sides are just as good or perhaps even better, both Your Own Beat and Up Late add urgent, punky indie guitars to the band’s hip-hop ska vibe, forming pogo friendly holler-along anthems that grab you by the scruff of your neck and hurl you on the dance floor.
Kyoshi have created the sound of the summer, be prepared to get up, get down and get sweaty, this is one hot band you’d be a fool to miss.
Website: http://www.myspace.com/kyoshimusic
Rating: 10
22 January, 2009
Jegsy Dodd & The Original Sinners-Loquacious, Loquacious, Loqaucious
Title: Loquacious, Loquacious, Loquacious
Artwork:
Type: Album
Record Label: Piffle Records
Now here’s a really odd one, Jegsy Dodd & The Original Sinners mix up observational humour with rock, reggae, jazz, disco and electro beats to create one of the most interesting albums I’ve heard in a whilst. the only comparison I can think of is cult performance poet Murray Lachlan Young but only a little bit stranger.
Jegsy Dodd is a poet hailing from the Wirral and he first came to nationwide attention back in 1985, when national treasure John Peel picked him out to record a BBC session for his show. Peel suggested that Jegsy should put together a band a nad record an album and so Jegsy Dodd And The Sons Of Harry Cross were born. The band recorded and released two albums and toured across the UK and Europe before deciding to disband.
In 2004 Jegsy had a chance encounter with former bassist Staunch in a Wirral off license and they soon decided to give it another crack after Jegsy showed Staunch some of the new poetry he’d been working on. Once again Jegsy somehow managed to attract the attentions of Radio One, this time in the form of Rob Da Bank and once more they were invited to perform live on the show.
2005 saw the band record and release a new album, Wake Up And Smell The Offy to huge support from public and Radio One alike. The band managing to bag the number one in the stations festive fifty with Grumpy Old Men for 2005 beating The Arctic Monkeys and Arcade Fire among others.
And so we’re band up to date with Loquacious, Loquacious, Loquacios the second album to be released by Jegsy & The Original Sinners and like I said at the start of the review it odd, it’s quirky and simply brilliant. Spoken word poetry clashes with various genres of music to create a surreal, thought provoking and bloody funny album that’ll have you listening intently, laughing out loud and nodding along gleefully.
From the opening track, Sir Les & The Blue Peter Garden Incident to the closing The Flat’s Too Bloody Small the band create a tasty broth for Jegsy to wax lyrical over. From the reggae influenced No Tattoo (on the base of her spine) to the throbbing of The Rough Guide To Britain via the jazzy guitar plucked The Elbow & The Arse the music alone is superb, but add to that an off-the-wall poet spouting off on such subjects as the vandalism of the Blue Peter garden, asylum seekers and the differences between the elbow and the arse and you have an album that has to be heard to be believed.
If you want something different, quirky and fun then this is well worth a spin, don’t think novelty, think maverick genius.
Website: http://www.jegsydodd.com
Rating: 10