Tag Archives: New Music

COKE WEED-Mary Weaver.

Posted on by

Everyone has their own take on what makes a band great or what makes a band mean the world to them. I enjoy hearing why someone loves a band or a song. I’d rather discuss the ins and outs of a song with someone than hear about their political stance. It’s too personal and it can make people turn into arseholes.

Mary Weaver has a David Bowie feel to it. By that, I mean a lot of songs sound like Let’s Dance. I’ve never been into Bowie, but I can appreciate certain songs. Does that mean I hate this record? Not at all. If I hated it, I wouldn’t write about it. Coke Weed not only have a brilliant name that provides questionable search results, but they’re so underrated it hurts. Their sound is part elegant, part rebellion. They have this way of transporting you to and from where you are, and making you feel as if you are anywhere but where you are. Mary Weaver is made up of laid-back grooves mixed with blissed-out vocals. Everything about Mary Weaver feels like a summertime road trip. It’s still a bit warm here in London, I guess that means the world is going to end soon. The seasons are fucked up. Run to the hills, hide underground. I don’t know.

If I could dissect every song and tell you about them, I would. I used to do that. I know. Sorry, but I don’t want to bore you anymore than I have. I’m always looking for bands that sound a bit like The Cramps or Fugazi with a bit of Captain Beefheart. I basically want unlistenable noise. Coke Weed are nothing like that. They are the calmer part of my brain that loves the likes of Beach House etc. Where does Mary Weaver leave us? Is it the best thing Coke Weed have done? I don’t want to be that person and be utterly lazy, but it truly is their best record to date. Next one, and I’ll probably say the same. The thing is, when a band improves each time it isn’t a band thing. Prime example, I love The Kills and Crocodiles and they are two bands that ALWAYS sound better with each record. Every record sounds different, and that’s part of the charm. I don’t want to keep hearing the same sound. I hate routine and order, so for the bands I’m into to always sound different, that’s something I can really get behind. It makes them believable, you can sense the passion and the love for what they are doing.

Coke Weed have made a truly exceptional record here, and for me The Chill is my personal favourite. It’s one of my favourite songs I’ve heard all year. I love All The Shades and the depth of the lyrics. The record requires a lot of attention, but only with the second listen or so. First listen is all about falling in love with it. It’s an instant love. Then it becomes clear with the lyrics and how they are sung that this is a record with high importance. New Jive is one of the many key moments of the record. It’s the rebel of the record. For the most part Mary Weaver is a laid back work of art, but New Jive has this feel to it that The Stooges would be into. You can hear many influences in the record, and I can hear bands I love flowing in and out of certain songs. They’ve done it in an excellent way, and some bands are clear rip-offs of what has come before, but with Coke Weed it is subtle influences, and it just sounds so perfect.

If you want, you can sit back and dream away to this record. You can play it sky high and turn your neighbours onto it. The last 3 tracks on the record are again moments that stick out. For the most part you can listen to this record in any order, but the last 3 have to be played in order. You’ll know when you’ve heard it, trust me. It will sound out of place if you play them in a different order. I know I said I hated order and routine, but this is okay.

Mary Weaver is out on Friday, and you can stream it over the next few days here:

http://www.self-titledmag.com/2015/10/06/stream-coke-weeds-new-album-and-read-the-stories-behind-their-art-rock-songs/

FLESH RAG.

Posted on by

I got paid on Monday, so I decided to treat myself to a new record. I didn’t know what I wanted to buy, but I was going to buy something anyway. I went to All Ages Records in Camden. It’s my new favourite place in London. The bus from work stops right by it, so obviously it was fate. Sometimes in record stores the staff can be proper grumpy and a bit pretentious. This isn’t the case with All Ages. The guy who works there was one of the loveliest chaps I’ve ever met. Totally nuts about music and played a record at the wrong speed. My kind of person. Ever played Sex Pistols slowed down? I have. Sometimes by accident, other times because I’m easily amused. Another customer comes in, and by this stage I have a record in my hand. Suddenly, he plays something. I’ve convinced myself it’s Dead Boys. It isn’t. I’m told the other guy is after the record and there’s only one in the shop. A lunchtime brawl in Camden? I’ve not eaten so I’m unsure of the challenge. I’m a friendly Northerner, so I accept defeat without saying anything. Turns out, the guy was after something else and I end up with the record (a badge and a zine. I know how to live!)

Flesh Rag are brilliantly named and are as mental as they sound. They’re on the same level as Dead Boys. For snotty, obnoxious brats who don’t give a toss what you think. They’re loud and they are coming to deafen you. The louder you play them, the better. And if you can crank it up louder, then make sure you do it. You want this shaking the walls and scaring your neighbours. Again I reckon these guys are a band that you need to see live to really appreciate the music. They’ve got a proper Punk feel to them. It doesn’t feel forced or anything like that. It’s a genuine sound that needs to be heard. They aren’t for everyone. I’m pretty sure if I played them to certain people they’d think I was a bit mental, but I live in hope that there’s someone out there who digs this. I’m 100% sure my uncle would love this band. He got me into Punk, he’s to blame for my many music based obsessions.

Flesh Rage are the band that Lester Bangs would piss himself with excitement over. The kind of band The Stooges would have taken on tour and left a trail of destruction and mayhem. It’s chaotic bliss that leaves you feeling bruised all over. I feel like that anyway because I’ve got some cold/flu thing going on. Night Nurse is a lifesaver. I’ve had excellent sleep by taking this recently due to feeling ill. When I wake up I have no idea where I am (no more than usual.)

Each song feels like a glorious punch to the face. You feel as if someone is launching punches at you, and you just take it because, what else is there to do? These three guys are ferocious beats and are out for blood and guts. They’ll make you squirm- as if you can’t take the thrashing, but the thing is, these guys are making some of the rawest music around. You’ve heard Flowers Of Evil, right? You’ve heard Young Boys, right? On that level but a little more aggressive. Loud, powerful and a brutal attack on your general being.

The growling in the vocals, the rage in the drums, the electric shock in the guitar and the boldness of the bass are incredible, and they leave you wishing you could make noise like this. There’s nothing stopping you,

The songs don’t really last longer than 3 and a half minutes, so all you can do is keep it on repeat. Take what you can from the music. Invest in this band. They’re bloody great and someone needs to bring them to the UK. Urgently. Many great things have come from Canada, but Flesh Rag are probably the best band to come from there in a long, long time. They don’t hold back and they gnaw at your skin like a rabid dog.

LAME.

Posted on by

In my biased opinion, many great things have come from Italy. However, the music from there is something I’ve always had slight reservations about. There’s more to Italian music than Litfiba (they were kind of good so it’s okay.) I can only apologise for Eiffel 65. I’m so sorry. Italy has more to offer than that.

LAME come from the same beautiful city as my stepdad. Torino is one of the best cities in the world, and is also home to LAME.

LAME make a lot of noise, and their most recent release The Lame Shall Enter First is probably one of the year’s most underrated records. I don’t even know how many people have heard it or are even into this band, but the record is an angry piece of work that cannot be played quietly and privately. I’m writing it whilst listening through headphones but I know the ideal setting for it is to be played so loud until the walls shake and pictures and mirrors fall down. It’s effortlessly brutal. Cold Night feels like a maniac losing their mind late at night, when they probably should be asleep.

Known for the bluesy but Punk sound, they don’t fail to live up to that notion. Half the time you feel like smashing shit up whilst listening to the record, the other half you just want to sit with a bottle of something and watch the weary world go by. Like most bands I’ve written about, and write about, LAME are a mixture of strange and wonderful kinds of genres and noises into one and end up creating something really weird and passionately brilliant. I always want to listen to something that makes me want to start a band, even though I never will (too old and I have no musical talent) but if it can leave me feeling this way then surely it can cause some lost teen in the depths of Cleethorpes to pick up an instrument and make some noise of their own. That’s all any of us can hope for.

Another thing I love about LAME is that they feel like you’ve invaded a nightmare. You’re looking in and LAME are providing this menacing and eerie soundtrack. You want to be part of it somehow- so you start feeling as if you’re being chased through some creepy forest with some local loon close behind you muttering delirious words, brushing branches out of their face to grab a closer look at you, and to probably grab you. You’d run a lot faster with LAME blasting in the background. This feeling of being lost in the wilderness could drive anyone a bit nuts, but LAME are the perfect soundtrack to losing your marbles slightly.

Sounding like a band possessed by something greater than any of us could imagine, LAME are just a rowdy lot with something brilliantly sinister in their music. Much like Bikes who I wrote about last night, they make you want to leave where you are and go explore somewhere new.

You can listen to their recent record here: https://aliensnatch.bandcamp.com/album/lame-the-lame-shall-enter-first

As far as first LPs go, this one is nothing short of excellent, and it leaves you wanting more and more from them. Favourite new band.

Play it as soon as it gets dark, unless you’ve got a weird imagination like mine- if so, sitting at your desk on your lunch break whilst listening to something weird like this will probably give you equally mental images in your head.

FORZA LAME!

KINGSLEY CHAPMAN AND THE MURDER- The Old Blue Last. 21st September 2015.

Posted on by

Sometimes a band can fully justify all you feel, and when you see said band on stage it is like all you’ve built up inside has finally come to life although said feelings may be better off away from you. But these are the things that make us who we are, regardless of what others may think.

Kingsley Chapman And The Murder are made up of some of the most talented musicians this country has to offer. The way they play as if their lives depend on it makes you fully believe in every word and every note. You feel each song was created just for you and in a whirlwind of emotions, you can’t believe that such talent is playing a tiny venue for free in London.
Over time we have witnessed great frontmen in bands. From Moz to Joey Ramone, if they’ve got something that grips you instantly, then you just become a fan for life. As I watch in awe of the band and Kingsley’s brilliant ability to scare the crowd shitless with his deathly stare and astounding delivery of lyrics, I can’t help but think I am truly watching one of the greatest bands I’ve ever seen. I’m not just saying this because Kingsley’s a pal, but because friendship aside, this band are what I look for in music. They are dark, romantic in the way that isn’t typical, they make you feel like you’ve been adopted by the devil and you don’t feel like some weird fucker who doesn’t know what the hell is going on. Sure they’ve had the Nick Cave comparison thrown about, and their last song of the set Kill That Man is on a par with Stagger Lee. If you were there, you will hopefully know exactly what I mean. It was like the devil came out to play and we all joined a cult. It was bloody brilliant.
The song they played before Ghosts,Second Best Man was powerful. Did I cry a little? There was something in my eye, shut up. With a lot of the singers I love, it is the way you can hear their accent in their vocals that grip me. The way you can pick up the way certain words are pronounced make you click with the music more. Of course, as this band are from the North makes me love them even more. They don’t make music like this in London. Last night felt like home you know. I was seeing a band I adore in my favourite London venue, it just felt right. As I was watching the band I really had a hard time working out why they aren’t signed, but I guess in a way that’s what makes you treasure them even more.
I’ve been to some memorable shows in my time and a few have left a lasting impression on me. Some have made me get my shit together and others have made real life make some sense. What have I taken from the show last night? A wealth of things. Some that I really don’t want to share, but the main point is I was just really really proud of my friend. When I first saw Kingsley he was in a band called The Chapman Family. Their shows consisted of him wrapping the mic chord a little too tight around his neck. Last night, he did the same but the grip was a little less tight. The urgency in the songs could make the most dubious a believer.
The crowd was nothing short of gorgeous. Apart from the few behind me who felt the need to talk throughout (surely you’d go somewhere quiet to talk?) This was their first headline show in London, and I sincerely hope next time the venue is again packed with sweaty bodies screaming along as if their lives depend on it. Last night I could have gone to see my hero Morrissey, but I opted for the same level of genius but in a smaller setting. It was the kind of show that made you see everything a little different, maybe more clearer. This is a band who work hard to sound as great as they do, but to be honest it probably just comes natural to them. I couldn’t get tired of watching them live or listening to their music. Lost souls can be found to Kingsley Chapman And The Murder.
If all Monday nights consisted of seeing bands like this, the world would probably be a better place. Whatever music drags out of you, please make sure you cling onto it. I’m not entirely sure how to write this in a non biased way, but I can honestly say that this is one of the best gigs I have ever been to. I felt like I was watching a bunch of mental sailors lost at sea singing songs of love, lust, loss and desperation in one last plea to be heard before the sea takes them. It was dramatic and full of this built up passion that comes around very rarely from a band that are just as rare as the talent they posses. It was just absolutely brilliant, and I’m going to struggle to see a better show than this.
If you’re lucky to live in the North, you can catch Kingsley and his men support the equally wonderful Nadine Shah on the 30th of this month. If I had the funds, I would be there. It’s an ideal line up and I sincerely hope these shows drum up a wealth of interest who will make the world aware of Kingsley Chapman And The Murder. They’re the kind of band that make me wish I had my own label so I could put out music like this for everyone to hear. Some bands are just destined to be heard, and these guys are one of them.
If you are against conventional and tradition, then invest yourself in this band. The humour on stage and in the lyrics are glorious, and obviously Kinglsey’s comments about our pig face-fucking Prime Minister were welcomed with cheers. With the bore and doom of living in Tory country, it’s good to have bands like this who ease the wounds and make you feel human.

TAMARYN-Cranekiss

Posted on by

All good music should take you away from where you are. You could be the happiest person in the world, but sometimes you’re going to want to escape. There are some bands/singers that always take you to a place a person/nothing else can. This is not a reflection on those you know, it’s just one of those things that happen. You can’t explain it and maybe you shouldn’t try to. There’s this “magic” to it that isn’t found anywhere else. Some have the answers at the bottle of something, but I don’t believe that. It’s in music, for me. Always. Maybe not always answers, but options.

Tamaryn have a new record out called Cranekiss. My love for Tamaryn is huge. If I could try to describe what the music means to me, I’d have done it by now but there really aren’t words good enough. When it was stated that Cranekiss was going to be nothing like previous releases, it didn’t bother me. When you love a band/singer, you don’t care what they do so long as you can still believe in it. For me, I have every faith in Tamaryn based on their previous records. I could never doubt their talent or ability to create something no less than beautiful.

I played Tender New Signs religiously, thinking nothing Tamaryn would do could ever top that. I always knew that regardless the music would be stunning, but I didn’t know if it could be exceeded. My uncertainty and constant curiosity never fails me with music, so I’m obviously delighted that Cranekiss is quite frankly one of the best records to have been released this year.

Hands All Over Me sounds like early Madonna. Here’s the thing, I can’t stand Madonna. Aside from Borderline, I can’t stand anything she has ever done but I fully appreciate and know exactly how important her early work is. It was something new and strange, and that’s why it clicked with so many. As she got older, the music got worse. Hands All Over Me sounds like something Madonna could have put out. If she did, I probably would call myself a fan. It’s a shame because she’s part Italian like myself, so I feel I should like her. But I think Berlusconi is a prick so my theory isn’t always ideal.

I’ve read reviews about Cranekiss before I heard it. I didn’t like some of them because they were unfair. I hate reading negative reviews of music I like, anyone does. There’s something about it that just makes you want to lay into the writer and call them names, I know. Why write about something you don’t like? There’s enough negativity in the world, just watch the news. Tamaryn makes music that makes you feel good and she really goes to town with it on Cranekiss.

I love the euphoric glow of Last. For now I’ll call this as my favourite. I love her vocals so so much. I don’t really like high pitched vocals, but the way Tamaryn hits those notes just makes you feel so fucking alive and grateful. I just can’t get my head around why her music isn’t played everywhere and why the whole world isn’t in love with her. This isn’t just music, it’s a form of art that is showcasing someone really pushing themselves.

I’m really shite at writing reviews. I can’t pull myself away from something I love in order to see it differently, but the thing with Cranekiss is that it feels like I am listening to anyone but Tamaryn. I feel like I’m listening to a new artist, and I guess for me Cranekiss is like a symbol of re-birth. Just starting over, because sometimes you just have to. I read that her shows now consist of new material and people were getting annoyed because they wanted to hear the old stuff. I’m just annoyed I missed out on seeing her show when she was in London. I don’t care if she decided to sing the back catalogue of Chris De Burgh, I’d just want to hear her voice. I’m trying to make the point that, her new stuff is so so good and it doesn’t matter that the older material isn’t played anymore.

If you want your heart breaking, or to just feel something I urge you to shut off and listen to Keep Calling. It is eerie and chilling. Her voice is so delicate on it, you can’t help but keep so still as you listen to it. I’ve probably missed the point completely with what Tamaryn was set out to achieve with Cranekiss. But I think what she has done is easily make one of the most beautiful records I have heard in a long long time.

On Cranekiss we get to hear just how strong Tamaryn’s vocals are. There’s no more hiding her, she’s unleashing her voice onto us and it takes you on this ethereal trip that you just want to last for an eternity. You get the sense that maybe she’s found a style she’s totally happy with on this record (not saying she previously hadn’t, far from it) and to be honest, does it matter if anyone else doesn’t? She’s truly excelled herself on Cranekiss, she well and truly has. I could try to find you a bunch of records to compare Cranekiss to or find other singers she sounds like, but honestly itr would be worthless. Why? You know why. There’s no one else I can think of, and it’s just sloppy journalism to use comparisons all the time. I mean sure there’s a part of Softcore that sounds like A Forest by The Cure but I’m not going to focus on that, it’s just one tiny moment. The whole record is a breath of fresh air to a stale scene. I feel like I’m listening to someone new, finding a band for the first time and just knowing I have to listen to everything they have ever done.

I wanted to go further than say this is one of my favourite records of the year, or that it has pushed boundaries. I don’t know if I can. But I really understand what Tamaryn has done with this record. It’s a resurrection of sorts. Maybe I’ve got that wrong, but I know how much I love this record and I know how beautiful it is. I hope that’s come across in my tirade of words.

In short, this is a gorgeous record and all lost souls will be soothed and found when listening to Cranekiss. It is beautifully produced, and you can really sense the love and care that has gone into making this record. Itr deserves a listen, over and over again. I’m hopelessly in love with this record.

FLOWERS OF EVIL-Flowers Of Evil.

Posted on by

For the snotty and depraved shitheads of the world, Flowers Of Evil are here for you. They will spit in your eyes, kick you in belly and deafen you with their loud and aggressive sound.

Spat out into the world last summer in New York City, Flowers Of Evil have just released their debut self-titled record on Deranged Records. It’s the soundtrack for bored youths and adults. Unleashing 20 minutes of filth and fury on their record, is there a better sound? Not at all. It’s brutal and infectious. David spits the lyrics out with urgency and venom. With no social media presence, these guys are doing things the right way. A proper punk ethos flowing through their music which makes you think you are anywhere but 2015.

The only bad thing I have to say about their record is that it only lasts 20 minutes. However, you’ve got bands like the Ramones and Girl Tears who can rip your face off in a minute and half song. Time isn’t always everything. Flowers Of Evil will cause riots and brawls (hopefully) at their shows. Throwing careless but not malicious punches in mistake for dancing, that’s totally fine. They’re currently on tour in America, so maybe we need to start a petition to get them over here.

The band consists of musicians who are in equally brilliant bands who obviously, I am a fan of. The thing is, Flowers Of Evil sounds like a band born decades and decades ago. They’ve got the fight and fury in them that’s found in bands like Black Flag and the rowdy sounds of The Ruts and The Damned. Basically, Flowers Of Evil sound like my dream band. They’re basically my dream line up anyway. I love how they’ve got this attitude in their music that reminds me of the Dead Boys. If I was an angry 14 year old, I’d hear this record and go start my own noise. I’m 28 with no musical talent, which is why I write about music I really really love.

You get the impression from this record that their live shows leave the crowd going covered in blood, sweat and booze. Like I say, if you haven’t left a show without some kind of injury, you’ve not had a good time. You can picture the crowd losing their shit over Flowers Of Evil, and rightfully so. I’ve been waiting a long time for this record to come out, and now that it is finally here I really cannot praise it enough. It is full of wonderful fuck yous and fuck offs. It’s the perfect record to play when you want everyone to just go get fucked off for a little while.

You can get yourself a copy of this rambunctious delight right here:

http://www.derangedrecords.com/index.php/view-release/flowers_of_evil/

Any band that names themselves from a Baudelaire poem has got to be wonderfully depraved, right?

Play loud.

LAZY QUEEN.

Posted on by

If I wasn’t terrified of flying I’d visit a while bunch of places and take in as much live music as possible. I’d start out in New York and follow a band called Lazy Queen around. So I guess I’ll have to wait until they eventually come to the UK.

Lazy Queen are loud. Real loud and each song sounds like they are out to prove something. I can’t pin point what they’re trying to prove, but they’re easily one of the most exciting bands around and have understandably gained a rep as being an electrifying live band. You can make sense of their sound on record, but you just know that their live shows is where they truly shine.

I’ve got this image in my mind of how their live shows are. Lots of sweat and tired bodies throwing themselves around. There is something brilliantly demonic in their music- a little tamer than bands such as Pop.1280 and Spectres but brutal all the same. Lazy Queen are still a relatively new band but with a sound as strong as theirs, they can easily put others to shame. They only have 4 songs on their bandcamp page, and the 5 minute haunting style of Ants pretty much shows just how brilliant Lazy Queen are.

They’re not a band you write poetically about. I’m not a fan of pretentious descriptions. I don’t want to be told that a song will make me feel like I’m running carefree through a meadow. Fuck that. I want to be told that this is the loudest and most aggressive thing I’ll ever hear. Or something similar. So how will Lazy Queen make you feel? I can’t say, that’s on you.

They take elements of band like The Jesus And Mary Chain, My Bloody Valentine and Pixies. They take these influences and make something remarkable of their own. In a world full of people talking pointless noise, it’s nice to hear bands like Lazy Queen who have something worth paying attention to. Then again, my idea of socialising is going to buy records and talking to the person in the shop about them.

In a few months Lazy Queen will be releasing a 4 track EP called Drift. If I was to comply a list of EPs I’ve enjoyed this year, I’d probably end up putting Drift in there. Sure I’ve not heard it, but what I have hear from these guys is enough to know that they’re going to do great things and will hopefully gain some cult-like following.

Lazy Queen may be for those who like their music a little loud and a little creepy. Maybe those who value their hearing may shy away from the band, but if you can- go see them live. They’re a band that when you go see them, you stand right by the speakers and pay no mind to the fact that you’re going to be deaf tomorrow and probably for a few days afterwards. It’ll be worth it. If you’ve not left a gig with some kind of injury, then you’ve not had a nice time.

You can listen to their sounds here:

http://lazyqueen.bandcamp.com/

VENICE TRIP.

Posted on by

Venice Trip are 4 guys who make you feel as if you’ve stepped back into the 60/70s wearing a nice paisley shirt. Their sound is suitable for those who want something more than what they currently have. They have this gorgeous Psychedelic sound, and sound equal measures of Pink Floyd (Syd Barrett era) and Strawberry Alarm Clock. Their music is incredibly weird and their song, Look Forward hits you like an unexpected wave as you have your back to the sea.

Venice Trip are loud in all the right places. Their songs sound like something from decades and decades ago. Many bands that try to sound “current” just end up sounding boring. Sure nobody wants a rip-off either, but you can always find something that just blows you away. Venice Trip are based/from London and sound like they have just stumbled out of a dive bar on Sunset Strip. It is all you want from a Psychedelic band. You want those hypnotic sounds and a voice that is so powerful, you can’t help but think “Where have you been all my life?”

I suppose the lazy will be quick say they sound like Tame Impala, but ignore them. They just pluck out names for the sake of it. You can hear their influences, but judging by the songs I’ve heard I would imagine there is more than just the obvious influence in their music. Sure it yells Psychedelia but there’s some Blues-esque grooves flowing around. As much as I love music that makes me want to pick up the nearest chair and lob it out the window, Venice Trip are the opposite. They’re calming and can just soothe the soul. They can heal any ailments you may think you have and they just take you gently by the hand off into a dream world. A world where it’s just you and the music. For me, that’s ideal.

They don’t have many songs uploaded on their soundcloud page, but it’s the right amount to leave you wanting more. If a band can create this atmosphere about them with only a few songs, then I reckon that’s how you know you’ve found something truly special and worth investing in.

Venice Trip are a band to shut the world off to. Let’s be honest, surrounding yourself with others is tiresome and can instantly become exhausting. Small talk is painful and I’d much rather take a nap. Venice Trip are THAT band you go to when you just want to shut off from the world and its people. They make for relaxing hallucinations and tranquil dreaming.

They sound older than they are. They sound as if they’ve been doing this for decades. I have every confidence that their record (whenever it comes out) will just be the cause of younger kids getting hooked on music and wanting to make something like this.

For me, I’m besotted with the song Father Of The Universe. It’s their loudest song. It’s got this brilliant build-up at the start, and it’s nothing short of a euphoric gem. It’s a 5 minute skull shaker and will be the one that makes you realise just how fantastic this band is. They’ve got a solid sound that deserves to be heard and to be played as loud as possible.

They’ve got a few shows coming up:

Tuesday 28th July-Barfly, Camden

Saturday 8th August -The Green Door Store, Brighton

Friday 4th September -Ace’s & Eight’s, Tufnell Park

You can listen to their music here:

THE COURETTES.

Posted on by

This afternoon on my lunch break, I headed 5 minutes down the road into Camden Market. I went to my favourite record stall. It’s the home to some of the weirdest sounds I’ve ever heard. Sadly I’m too poor to buy everything (I got a record by The Gruesomes there and felt like I had won the lottery.) I’ve bought many records from their based on the artwork on the records. I do this frequently, and sometimes I know exactly what I’m looking for. Today however, I wasn’t really sure what I wanted. Part of me wanting PJ Harvey, the other was going for the Melvins. Sadly they had nothing by Sleep which I was quite sad about, but what I picked up made up for the void.

I picked up The Courettes because I loved the description under the drummer, it reads: “Loud as hell drums.” That’s EXACTLY what I was looking for. Only one copy, so I clung onto it for a while before settling. As I paid for it me and the guy who works there was telling me a bit about the band. The more he told me, the more I was falling in love with a band I hadn’t heard yet. Fast forward finishing work and going to the gym, I come home and I listen to The Courettes.

The Courettes are a mighty fine duo who are for those who lust after obscure and off the wall sounds. This duo is so powerful and brilliant, they make you want to start something like this yourself. They come from Brazil/Denmark but they sound like a typical American Garage Rock/Punk band. That’s what is so beautiful about them, you think you know something about them but you really don’t. They are an irresistible mystery that you can’t get enough of.

As I turn up the volume more and more, I start hearing all this lucid sounds dripping in and out. It is one of the finest releases of the year, and will heartbreakingly so be underrated. However those that get their ears and mitts onto this record will know just how excellent it is. It is for the psychotic, the freaks, the weirdos, the ones who will not ever settle. It is fast, rebellious and music at its finest.

Sometimes when you accidentally find a band, they end up being one you truly treasure because maybe you associate them with someone or maybe you have a cool story about how you found them. Regardless of your reasons, how you got there and why you stuck with it just stays with you. You develop this deeply passionate admiration for the band, and all you want to do is waste your days listening to them. The Courettes are a duo that make a delightful noise that immediately hooks you. The vocals are raw, the guitar will blow your brains out and yes, the drums are loud as hell. Loud as hell and heaven sent.

There’s a riot going on in The Courettes music, don’t fight against it. Stick with them and be equally as loud. They’re playing a few shows in the UK, including The Fiddlers Elbow on Friday night as part of the Weirdsville night. This duo for me, have an ideal sound. The sound that’s in many bands I cherish and adore. The bands I constantly listen to.

Their debut record, Here Are The Courettes is out now. You can listen/buy the record here:http://thecourettes.bandcamp.com/album/here-are-the-courettes

Sooner or later this band will corrupt your soul and take over your record collection, just go with it. They’ve got a real wild sound and style that you simply cannot get enough of.

THE CHEATING HEARTS.

Posted on by

Any kind of music that makes me feel as if my brain is going to explode or if my body is being pulled about in different directions is fine by me. It’s pretty much what I look for. I don’t like mushy stuff, that doesn’t benefit anyone (maybe it does, but it just isn’t for me.) Those mushy songs portray love in the worst way. And general feelings. I want to feel as if I’m in the midst of a fight that I shouldn’t be in. I want the drums to turn into bruises and the guitar to feel like a bash to the face.

The Cheating Hearts have this huge gang feel to their sound, but there’s just two of them. I’m a massive fan of duos, and when they make more noise than most that’s when I know I’ve found something I’m going to treasure. The Cheating Hearts are a mighty fine German band who sound like The Cramps mixed with (early) The Damned. They make you feel as if you are not in this era. They’ve got a typical Rock & Roll feel mixed with something really creepy. An ideal tour for me would be these guys and The Creeping Ivies. It would be brutal, raw and intense.

I know the word “cool” is redundant and let’s be honest, nobody apart from Lou Reed captured the real essence of cool. But if you want the REAL meaning, just watch Almost Famous. Lester Bangs character nails it perfectly. However, The Cheating Hearts are slick and real cool. This is a band that should be influencing young ruffians to pick up an instrument and make some noise. If I was 14/15 and hearing these guys, I’d be quick to find some friends and make some noise. Instead, I’m just a 28 year old with no musical talent constantly wishing I did. Oh to pack up daily life and exchange it for dive bars and going to places I never thought I would. I can dream, it’s all I have.

Their record wonderfully titled, Fuck Love came out just over a year ago. I’m late to the party but you know, better late than never…well, depending on the circumstances I guess. Fuck Love is a gritty and rowdy records. It’s for those who adore the weird side of things and embrace with arms and minds open. There is something really magical about this record, and like I mentioned above, it really does make you feel as if you’ve gone back in time. They do not sound “now.” I struggle to work out what a “now” sound is. It is a lot of synths? Count me out.

Their bio says that they will soundtrack your next break-up. Sometimes having your heart gorged out needs a soundtrack, The Cheating Hearts are that soundtrack. Some may want to listen to Adele and cry into a box of Milk Tray, but fuck that. Throw yourself into something like this and forget what happened. A break-up doesn’t have to ruin you, nothing in life does. Sure it is easier said than done, but I’m all for rambunctious sounds like The Cheating Hearts to tell my story/unleash it all for me. Sure if your heart isn’t broken these guys can still be you soundtrack, I’ll be constantly playing them without thinking about anything other than how bloody great they sound.

The Cheating Hearts are a brilliant explosion of all things I look for in music. Their lyrics are witty in all the right places and the music is all I could wish for. With only one record released, Fuck Love just leaves you wanting more. There’s only so much having it on repeat can do for you until you start craving for more music. With one listen I just knew I was headed into something I couldn’t get enough of.

The Cheating Hearts are going to put you in a chokehold and rip out your heart when they are done. You’ll love it and you won’t be able to stop yourself from having that feeling over and over again. Don’t fight it, there’s just no point at all. They dress in wedding garments and look like a couple who are on the run. Their look is as crucial as their sound. They look like how they want you to feel when you listen to their music, and trust me you will. This Garage Rock/Punk sound they have going on is nothing short of incredible and I need more.

You can buy/listen to Fuck Love here:http://thecheatinghearts.bandcamp.com/album/fuck-love