SURF SCHOOL DROPOUTS
Summer Is A State Of Mind
self-released download
For some people summer never ends. We can dig that at Shindig! HQ. For this Copenhagen band Brian Wilson is a pill to be taken twice daily. The title track perfectly encapsulates the dark heart and deep harmonies that he trademarked. Lead singer Andreas Jacobsen laments "Think About Those Summer Days/And the girls that we could chase/Close my eyes and and leave this place behind". Sentiments many of us could relate to.
This album begins as a pure pastiche of the Beach Boys, some songs taking the lead from that early, innocent doo-wop surf sound of '63 whilst others are a bit more mature, more singer-songwriter in style (Sunflower-esque), with some CSNY styles in there. 'Follow The Sun' could be The Left Banke; the 'Interlude' trilogy is pure prog. I estimate the album finishes sonically in 1972. The jangle and organ quotient is high throughout, and could not sound more 60s pop if it tried.
This sort of approach to music will either delight or infuriate, so take your sides and go buy/ignore (delete as appropriate).
Phil Istine
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Friday 31 August 2012
Edgar Broughton live in Leeds
Edgar Broughton, singer-songwriter and guitarist was a founder member of the Edgar Broughton Band in the 60's, a formidable live draw propelled by a heavy psychedelic blues sound and Edgar's phenomenal, if untutored, singing. He appears at The Hi-Fi Club in Leeds on October 5th.
Edgar is well known as one of the most strident protest singers, but at times one of the most accessible. His involvement with political activism has continued down the years and many of his songs reflect this. Once described as a proto-punk, his music is firmly rooted in the blues and tinged with echoes of European folk music. His solo performance is an emotive, entertaining tour de force containing both old favourites and new songs from the heart.
Friday October 5th
@ The Hi-Fi Club, 2 Central Road, Leeds
Doors 7:30pm (please note that the curfew for this gig is 10:15pm)
Tickets are £8 in advance. Tickets will be in Jumbo and Crash in Leeds and on Wegottickets
Edgar is well known as one of the most strident protest singers, but at times one of the most accessible. His involvement with political activism has continued down the years and many of his songs reflect this. Once described as a proto-punk, his music is firmly rooted in the blues and tinged with echoes of European folk music. His solo performance is an emotive, entertaining tour de force containing both old favourites and new songs from the heart.
Friday October 5th
@ The Hi-Fi Club, 2 Central Road, Leeds
Doors 7:30pm (please note that the curfew for this gig is 10:15pm)
Tickets are £8 in advance. Tickets will be in Jumbo and Crash in Leeds and on Wegottickets
Thursday 30 August 2012
Event: the Beat Convention, London
The annual garage & beat festival Beat Convention takes place this September at St George's Hall, in the attractive environs of Cranley Gardens, Crouch End, London. Beat Convention 2011 was a great success with The Hollers and The Roves and this year there's a lot more acts in on the, er, act.
It's a rare chance to see some of the most popular and current garage acts on one stage, all in the space of one afternoon/evening. Especially exciting is the live comeback London appearance from The Kaisers/The Rapiers supergroup Janey & The Ravemen. Grab a permit quick before this Saturday and save five pounds off the entry price!
Full line-up:
LES BOF!
JANEY & THE RAVEMEN
THE ROMLEYS
MFC CHICKEN
KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND 3
THE AROUSERS
THE HI CLASS JOES
FLORENCE JOELLE'S KISS OF FIRE
Plus on the decks shall be the garage/beat superstar DJs Phil Istine (Sweet but Deadly Promotions) PJ (Dirty Water Records), Marco Traxel (Soundflat Records), Tom H. Wing (The Uptown 3), and Scottish "beat ambassador" Tony Bailey.
Saturday September 22
@ St George's Hall, Cranley Gardens
Crouch End, North London. N10 3AH
Nearest Tube & Rail: Highgate, Haringey
4-11pm
Early Permit Registration: £5. No Permit Entry: £10
email sohosoundmanagement@gmail.com giving your details to guarantee yourself a permit.
Facebook Event
It's a rare chance to see some of the most popular and current garage acts on one stage, all in the space of one afternoon/evening. Especially exciting is the live comeback London appearance from The Kaisers/The Rapiers supergroup Janey & The Ravemen. Grab a permit quick before this Saturday and save five pounds off the entry price!
Full line-up:
LES BOF!
JANEY & THE RAVEMEN
THE ROMLEYS
MFC CHICKEN
KING SALAMI & THE CUMBERLAND 3
THE AROUSERS
THE HI CLASS JOES
FLORENCE JOELLE'S KISS OF FIRE
Plus on the decks shall be the garage/beat superstar DJs Phil Istine (Sweet but Deadly Promotions) PJ (Dirty Water Records), Marco Traxel (Soundflat Records), Tom H. Wing (The Uptown 3), and Scottish "beat ambassador" Tony Bailey.
Saturday September 22
@ St George's Hall, Cranley Gardens
Crouch End, North London. N10 3AH
Nearest Tube & Rail: Highgate, Haringey
4-11pm
Early Permit Registration: £5. No Permit Entry: £10
email sohosoundmanagement@gmail.com giving your details to guarantee yourself a permit.
Facebook Event
Record Review - Sons Of Otis
SONS OF OTIS
Seismic
Small Stone CD
Summertime in good old Blighty and on a lucky day you might just see the odd glimpse of the sun. On such days it’s customary to play some sunshiney skittish pop like The Beach Boys or The Association – so it was with with incongruity that I put on the latest album from Canadian super-heavyweights Sons of Otis.
The sky darkened as the first notes of ultra-monolithic psychedelic doom cracked the speakers on my stereo. The touchstone influence here is Electric Wizard; though don’t think for a moment that SoO are some sort of Johnny-come-lately outfit, the band having been active in some form since ’92. The similarities to EW come in the huge crescendo-riffing that still retains a groove, the malignant vocals and the crushing arrangements laced with echo and delay to create a disorientatingly woozy head-bursting metal totem. Some lighter relief is provided by the cover of Mountain’s ‘Never in my Life” though even that track is doused with punishingly psychoactive week-old bongwater.
Towards the end of the record a couple of instrumental tracks, ‘PK’ and ‘Cosmic Jam’, take things one stage further, jetting off from the netherworlds into an equally dark nebula, bringing the full effects overload guitar pulveriser with them. Leaves fall and decay. Fruit withers on the vine. Winter’s coming. Doom up children.
Austin Matthews
Seismic
Small Stone CD
Summertime in good old Blighty and on a lucky day you might just see the odd glimpse of the sun. On such days it’s customary to play some sunshiney skittish pop like The Beach Boys or The Association – so it was with with incongruity that I put on the latest album from Canadian super-heavyweights Sons of Otis.
The sky darkened as the first notes of ultra-monolithic psychedelic doom cracked the speakers on my stereo. The touchstone influence here is Electric Wizard; though don’t think for a moment that SoO are some sort of Johnny-come-lately outfit, the band having been active in some form since ’92. The similarities to EW come in the huge crescendo-riffing that still retains a groove, the malignant vocals and the crushing arrangements laced with echo and delay to create a disorientatingly woozy head-bursting metal totem. Some lighter relief is provided by the cover of Mountain’s ‘Never in my Life” though even that track is doused with punishingly psychoactive week-old bongwater.
Towards the end of the record a couple of instrumental tracks, ‘PK’ and ‘Cosmic Jam’, take things one stage further, jetting off from the netherworlds into an equally dark nebula, bringing the full effects overload guitar pulveriser with them. Leaves fall and decay. Fruit withers on the vine. Winter’s coming. Doom up children.
Austin Matthews
The See See + Red Sands live in Glasgow
This Saturday Glasgow is in for a musical treat, as The See See arrive in town, promoting their new album Fountayne Mountain.
Support is from local six-piece outfit Red Sands, a band risen from the ashes of power-pop combo Figure 5. Their biog says "dreamy West Cost Psych to fuzzy Acid Folk and Prog, the band wear their musical hearts firmly on their sleeves, never forgetting their love of classic British Rock and Pop".
Saturday September 1st @ The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow. 11pm – 3am. £8 entry.
Support is from local six-piece outfit Red Sands, a band risen from the ashes of power-pop combo Figure 5. Their biog says "dreamy West Cost Psych to fuzzy Acid Folk and Prog, the band wear their musical hearts firmly on their sleeves, never forgetting their love of classic British Rock and Pop".
Saturday September 1st @ The Berkeley Suite, Glasgow. 11pm – 3am. £8 entry.
Wednesday 29 August 2012
Comus live in Liverpool
The Sound of Salvation are proud to present a rare live performance by the legendary acid folk band Comus. This will take place at The Kazimier, Liverpool on Thursday November 1st.
Comus concerts are extremely rare and not to be missed. They have lost none of the intense live quality that has helped make them such a legendary and influential band. Their debut album "First Utterance" was notable for its unique blend of folk, progressive rock and psychedelia, mixed with elements of paganism and the macabre. This heady blend delivered with a startling intensity has helped Comus become one of the most unique and influential folks bands the UK has ever produced. Over the last 40 years this influence has gone far beyond the folk scene into many diverse genres.
Comus recently returned to the studio to produce a new album titled Out of the Coma which was released this year to great critical acclaim.Ticket price is £15 and can be purchased on www.ticketline.com and www.skiddle.com
Comus concerts are extremely rare and not to be missed. They have lost none of the intense live quality that has helped make them such a legendary and influential band. Their debut album "First Utterance" was notable for its unique blend of folk, progressive rock and psychedelia, mixed with elements of paganism and the macabre. This heady blend delivered with a startling intensity has helped Comus become one of the most unique and influential folks bands the UK has ever produced. Over the last 40 years this influence has gone far beyond the folk scene into many diverse genres.
Comus recently returned to the studio to produce a new album titled Out of the Coma which was released this year to great critical acclaim.Ticket price is £15 and can be purchased on www.ticketline.com and www.skiddle.com
Tuesday 28 August 2012
Record Review - French Boutik
FRENCH BOUTIK
Les Chats de Gouttière
copaseDisques 7 " / download
Phil Istine
Les Chats de Gouttière
copaseDisques 7 " / download
The debut EP from French-American mod-poppers comes in a striking beautiful sleeve. The simple ideas are often the best.
The title track translates as 'The Alley Cats' but there's nothing dirty and common about this blast of hyper-melodic sunshine Hammond Ye-Ye pop. Vocalist Gabriela sounds as cool as you like. 'La Vedette' ('The Star') is a bittersweet sounding romp about war, with a glam rock/Kinks guitar stomp driving the beat, only to be cut-up by moody interludes à la Blur. I bet it sounds excellent live in concert.
On the flipside 'Le Clope' ('Cigarette', well actually 'Gasper') is a funny story of smoking where you should not, set to plentiful 'Ba Ba Ba's and sat on a bedrock of Ian McLagan/Booker T-styled organ. It's late-60s, hippy Brian Auger Trinity fare you may say. It's pure happy music for the uncynical amongst you too. Finally the one English sung tune, 'New Bossa', is ironically the least interesting number, sounding a bit forced and slight, in spite of some lovely harmonising.
This Parisian quintet are definitely ones to watch. A full album by them would no doubt be great...but for now, buy this!
This Parisian quintet are definitely ones to watch. A full album by them would no doubt be great...but for now, buy this!
Phil Istine
Smoke Fairies new video and tour
Smoke Fairies have made a video for new single ‘Let Me Know’ that captures the band performing on a beautiful summers evening high above the houses on a London rooftop, as the city glows beyond. The single is out now digitally and on limited-edition 7" via V2 come September 10th. You can watch the video here:
The band will also be heading out on their Autumn tour in October. Those tour dates in full:
The band will also be heading out on their Autumn tour in October. Those tour dates in full:
Monday 17 September – GUILDFORD – St Mary’s Church (£9)
Tuesday 18 September - CARDIFF - Buffalo Bar (£8.50)
Wednesday 19 September - PORTSMOUTH - Wedgewood Rooms (£8.50)
Thursday 20 September - BRIGHTON – The Haunt (£8)
Saturday 22 September - NORWICH – Arts Centre (£8)
Sunday 23 September - OXFORD – Academy (£9)
Monday 24 September - BRISTOL – The Fleece (£8)
Wednesday 26 September - BIRMINGHAM – Hare & Hounds (£9)
Thursday 27 September - LEEDS – Brudenell Social Club (£9)
Friday 28 September - HEBDEN BRIDGE – Trades Club (£9)
Sunday 30 September - NEWCASTLE – Cluny (£8)
Monday 1 October - EDINBURGH – Pleasance Theatre (£9)
Tuesday 2 October - GLASGOW – Oran Mor (£9)
Wednesday 3 October - YORK – Duchess (£8)
Friday 5 October - MANCHESTER – Deaf Institute (£8)
Saturday 6 October - LINCOLN – Engine Shed (£9)
Sunday 7 October - NOTTINGHAM – Rescue Rooms (£9)
Monday 8 October - CAMBRIDGE – Portland Arms (£9)
Tuesday 9 October – LONDON – King's College London Student Union (£12)
Monday 27 August 2012
The Poets vocalist, George Gallacher, has died
Sad news has reached us that George Gallacher, singer in Scottish freakbeat/psych legends The Poets, has passed away over the weekend.
Once managed by Andrew Loog Oldham, the band had a string of classic singles on Decca and Immediate in the 60s but never managed an album. They reformed in 2011 and played a handful of shows. Their former guitarist Tony Myles, left this post on Facebook:
Thursday 23 August 2012
Record Review - Ian Evans
IAN EVANS
Ghostwatch
Download / CD
Ghostwatch
Download / CD
London solo artist Evans has experimented with the genres over the past decade, landing on a unique sound that is hard to define, with “psychedelic art-rock” perhaps being as close as I’d like to attempt. This home-recorded three track EP is a progressive romp through his tastes. Opener and title track ‘Ghostwatch’ sets the scene, 80s sounding production and looping, jangly guitars, with the discordant melodies of the post-punk era too. His voice is sweet and unsettling, like he might hug you to death.
‘Too Tasty For You, Lager Boy?’ is as knowing as the title, with an American college indie/Polvo/ Pavement/mid-80s REM heart. Nothing you’re unlikely to have not heard before in your misspent youth, but a comforting soft punk blast of disharmony nonetheless. Finally we have a literal ‘Storm In A Teacup’, the most indie-est of the tracks here and a little headache-inducing for me. The sharp guitar line is a joy though, just not enough to rescue it from ‘forgettable noise’ to these ears.
Clearly a talented man, Evans would probably benefit from a full band to realise these songs fully. I look forward to more of his warm discordant pop songs soon.
‘Too Tasty For You, Lager Boy?’ is as knowing as the title, with an American college indie/Polvo/ Pavement/mid-80s REM heart. Nothing you’re unlikely to have not heard before in your misspent youth, but a comforting soft punk blast of disharmony nonetheless. Finally we have a literal ‘Storm In A Teacup’, the most indie-est of the tracks here and a little headache-inducing for me. The sharp guitar line is a joy though, just not enough to rescue it from ‘forgettable noise’ to these ears.
Clearly a talented man, Evans would probably benefit from a full band to realise these songs fully. I look forward to more of his warm discordant pop songs soon.
Phil Istine
Wednesday 22 August 2012
Liverpool Psych Fest: final line-up revealed
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