Last year Bury St Edmunds based alt rock trio Horse Party released their debut album, Cover Your Eyes to critical acclaim and airplay from the likes of Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne (both 6Music) and John Kennedy (XFM) among others, the band also performed across the UK taking in the Latitude Festival along the way.
The band follow up last years successes and continue to build momentum with double A-sided single Out Of Sight/Receiver, a fantastic one-two knockout combination, both featuring the band’s razor sharp hooks and attitude fueled menace.
Out Of Sight opens with an infectious chugging riff before Ellie delivers a tough yet seductive croon before guitarist and co-vocalist Seymour and drummer Shannon Hope step on the power, for a glorious chant along vocal hook, bringing to mind the early serrated sound of PJ Harvey.
Receiver is no less impressive, Seymour takes over lead vocal duties but the turn of over power is still very much evident, as the band move through their gears, pealing off yet another contagious flurry of riotous riffs alongside a repetitive, mantra like lead vocal and a handful of icy cool harmonies as Horse Party deliver another slice of deadly infectious alternative rock.
There’s no beating around the bush here, Horse Party offer up melodic, hook-laden short, sharp slices of attitude, full of vim and vigour, what more could you possibly want?
Worcestershire based, three-piece Son Of A Lumberjack are something of a new name to me, but having listened and devoured their debut single, All That I Have Seen, (produced by Rhys Downing) I sure hope to hear a great deal more in the near future.
The track opens with a flurry of drums and cymbals, before a melodic, yet punchy riff cuts through the furious bombardment, whilst a bass growls somewhere in the background. The vocals drop and oddly bring to mind those of Eddie Vedder only with perhaps a little more anguish thrown in for good measure, whilst the band threaten with an orgy of serrated riffs and bombastic beats, as the track finishes in much the same way it began, with a further frantic drum assault.
As introductions serve, All That I Have Seen, is a short, memorable burst of energetic taunt rock that leaves you exhilarated and baying for more.
I have to admit straight from the off that Gretchen’s previous album Hello Cruel World was something of a favourite around these parts, regularly receiving spins on the iPod on the jaunt back and forth to work, so you can imagine my excitement when Blackbirds dropped through the letterbox.
Scouring the accompanying press release my intrigue and anticipation hit an all time high, as it spoke of a darker edge than her previous opus, eleven tracks that “face down death with a dark grit and delicate beauty” as Gretchen covers illness, murder and mortality in one sitting.
The title track kicks off proceedings and instantly seduced me with noir-ish charm, shuffling drums, twanging guitar and evocative tale of murder, bringing to mind a female (or should that be femme fatale) Christopher Rees (high praise from me!!), as Gretchen delivers a stunning, haunted yet powerful vocal that chills and intoxicates in equal measure.
From such a sinister and dark opening salvo, Gretchen takes us on a compelling journey through style and substance, from the 70’s tinged, harmony enriched Pretty Things with it’s delicate piano and acoustic guitars to the driving Americana tinged rock of When All You Have Is A Hammer, with its feedback ridden intro and invigorating vocal hook (think Springsteen) and on to the stunning piano and string laced ballad, Everything Falls Away.
Gretchen digs further than most lyric writers giving the listener a vivid image of each tale, on the likes of The House On Auburn Street you can imagine yourself there, part of the neighbourhood as the home is reduced to cinders, whilst Black Ribbons is a startling, cinematic tale of a fisherman losing his livelihood and burying his wife complete, a vivid, harrowing tale that’s complimented with the swelling instrumentation and Gretchen’s weathered, vocal take.
The album captivates from the opening chord to the final dying embers, Gretchen’s stirring blackened tales, impeccable arrangements and bruised vocals, seduce and compel in equal measure, whilst the variety and depth will have you returning for more before you know it.
My expectations were high but Blackbirds surpasses anything I could have wished for and then some, definitely one of the must have albums of the year (already!!!)
Writing reviews sometimes isn’t easy you know, you turn a CD with the view to pass judgement and straight from the off the sound emitted doesn’t captivate like it should, maybe you’re not in the mood for a certain style, or from the opening chord you’re left with the nagging feeling of “heard it all before”, or maybe it’s just too obvious, there’s nothing new. And then there’s the other side of the coin, those rare releases that from the first utterance you’re left open-mouthed, there’s an explainable wonderment, or you find yourself so immersed, that you realise you’re still staring at an empty white screen with that bloody curser blinking back at you, mocking you because once again you’ve been left speechless (or should that be wordless) and that’s after hitting the repeast button ten times on the trot. Pieces is one of those rare latter cases, a release that compels, dumbfounds, intrigues and is an absolute bugger to review without hyperventilating.
So here I am yet again, trying to describe the debut EP by Merseyside singer-songwriter John Joseph Brill and still I’m trying to not dribble in appreciation. I want to try to articulate the passion, the soul, the fire and the brimstone, that John summons on each and every track, how that this isn’t the sound of one man strumming, whilst crying into his pint, instead Pieces is moody, powerful and poetic, all delivered in a weary, weathered and above believable voice.
The title track opens proceedings with howling guitar, viola and deep penetrating drums, before John reveals that glorious grizzled croon, bringing to mind Lanegan, Cohen or Cave to create a dark brooding combination of alternative folk, but with hooks, oh beautiful nagging hooks that pull you back for more.
Former single Muscle & Bone follows and is perhaps even better, again that menacing viola is present and that frazzled baritone but song builds from an almost tender folky number to a more bombastic proposition by the songs finale, documenting John’s struggle with the human condition quite brilliantly, during the tracks duration.
Golden Kids is a quieter, but yet no less mesmeric track based around a simplistic piano motif, John’s mournful croon and a ghostly, pulsating beat, all complimented with delicious bursts of instrumentation and a hook-laden chorus that catches you blissfully unaware but remains days after the initial spin. John completes the four-track affair with the sparse, fragile and beautiful Sleeping Beast, a bewitching, yet subtle number where his beaten, half whispered vocals are very much the focus.
And again I’m left struggling to find the words to sum up Pieces, the EP is a bewitching introduction to a poetic singer-songwriter or perhaps a much needed document attempting to sum up the human condition, touching on those issues that we’re unable to articulate ourselves, morality, principles, self awareness, etc, John Joseph Brill communicates in song what we will never manage to murmur.
Filed under: Recorded Reviews,rock — Tags: Moonshine Man, New EP, spirit kreek — willmunn @ 18:30
Spirit Kreek are a Herefordshire based three-piece rock outfit, who formed just over a year ago, since the band’s creation they’ve been hard at work honing their sound, performing live with the likes of Worhol, Hangfire and No Glory among others.
The band have also found time to record a four track EP (not counting brief atmospheric intro track) with producer Josh Watkins in Cobnash studios in an attempt to harness the band’s live sound.
Hitting play the first thing you hear is the aforementioned short and eerie introduction before frontman Scott Morris lets out a mighty bellow signaling the EP’s title track, a barrage of hard hitting riffs and a bombardment of beats as the band issue their statement of intent. Frontman, Scott has a powerful holler and he’s no slouch on the six-string either, churning out a number of addictive riffs and solo’s throughout the EP’s duration, whilst the rhythm section (Stoo McEwan on bass and Ryan Randolph drums) more than hold their own complimenting Scott’s flourishes with relish.
The band obviously take their influences from modern rockers such as Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry among others, as like the aforementioned band’s Spirit Kreek may hit hard but they also have that melodic bluesy edge, particularly evident on the five-minute plus All Gone Away, where the band build the track up with an acoustic guitar, before cranking up the electric as the track unravels into a fine melodic rocker. Whilst Alone In The Dark proves the bands chops as the track breaks down for an impressive instrumental middle section before returning to the hard hitting groove previously laid down.
Moonshine Man is an impressive opening salvo from Spirit Kreek, it’s powerful and ballsy whilst never losing sight of that all important melody, if the band can continue to develop and evolve at the rate they’re going, we could be in for something very special indeed, definitely one’s to watch in the future.