Sam Saunders: personal profile.

Posted in Live Review: The Voltaires + These Monsters + i concur

These Monsters did three numbers by my reckoning, They have a controlled noise section between each while retuning and such like are attended to, so the sound never stops.

The pa in that room was not very well-suited I didn't think. There definitely was an excess of bass in the bins (which take up an inordinate amount of space at the front of a silly-shaped room), while other things were lost - including the sax for some of them time. The contrast with a previous gig at The Library was marked. But These Monsters had it pretty well covered I think. I Concur suffered most - with vocal harmony and some deft guitar duet stuff getting a bit lost.

Posted in Live Review: The Lazy Darlings + Jon Jones and the Beatniks Movement + Flowe

Top review! Keep this up and I won't feel so bad about missing them all.

Posted in Live Review: Mucky Sailor

I have only just noticed this review. I wish

a) I had been there
b) I had ever written such a great review.

Posted in CD Review: Grammatics - D.I.L.E.M.M.A.

100% agree - great work Mr Partridge. And the vinyl itself is great too.

Posted in CD Review: Jonjo Feather - I Suppose

Fine review! I didn't actually like the record at all - but this is excited me enough to make me think about changing my mind.

Posted in CD Review: ¡Forward, Russia! - Life Processes

What a well-written review. Enthusiastic, involved and bang-on. I love the CD too.

Posted in Live Review: Bonsai Kittens + Kristofski Kabuki + Penny Broadhurst + Adam John Miller

Where can this Geoffinately Maybe track be purchased/stolen? Or other Bonsai Rarities come to that.

Posted in CD Review: Bobby Cook - Deja Vu

"reeling in the ears" !!! nice one. I like the review even more than the record.

Posted in CD Review: Stateless - s/t

I'm deeply impressed at how deeply you've dug to write this Chris. There are very few debut albums where such high level questions would make any sense or be so relevant. I love the album a lot.

Posted in CD Review: The Lodger - Grown Ups

Ace review. Fantastic album.

Posted in Live Review: A Hawk And A Hacksaw + Jack Rose

Great review Colin! The gig was just as special as you say. Sadly, it did that Leeds regular thing of overrunning the last bus departure times and I had to miss the end (second time in four days!)

Leeds Parish Church (St Peters) and St John The Evangelist (back of the St John's Centre) are other venues where some great gigs have been held. Low in the Parish Curch and Nina Nastasia/David Thomas Broughton in St John's were pretty ace.

Posted in Live Review: Black Wire + Grammatics + Laura Groves + White Light Parade

That must have been a grim day. Out of 845 words I reckon just 75 are describing music. A strike rate of less than 9%. Even The wonderful Laura Groves gets less words than the Easter Bonnets. Was it really that bad for you?

Posted in Live Review: iLiKETRAiNS + Troubles

Ah! Socialism! It would be nice, eh? I think the chorus of the Beeching Report is a lament sung by the workers who built the railways, aimed at the engineer (Beeching) who believed a network could be constructed by pruning a lot of lines from the tangle left behind by 19th century private development. iLiKETRAiNS, as far as my researchers lead me, have expressed no political views on anything to date. Their folk songs are there for the listener to unravel. DP does well to put his own projections into his review - fantasy assassinations of Thatcher are always welcome. The destruction of Leeds by fire that illustrated the opening song might have been a gentle suggestion by ILT that some aspects of life in the great city might benefit from a little incendiary adjustment. Who knows?

iLiKETRAiNS' performance that night was the best I've seen - and they've never been worse than very good.

Troubles were (sadly) not even as good as me at playing guitar ... and that is usually fatal. AntEater was jolly good though - varied, noisy and inventive. Hooray for Tom.

Posted in CD Review: Various Artists - DTTR: Something I Learned Today

A fine review Mr. Rennie. Keep up the good work!

Posted in Live Review: Blah Blah Tin

What a lovely review. It reminded me of the lost and lamented Bella. I'm now looking forward to seeing blah blah tin even more than I was already. I really like their CD anyway - so this jolly music/presentation thing sounds like a Quack Quack of a bonus.

Posted in CD Review: Harrisons - Monday's Arms

Snappy lines - the future!

Posted in CD Review: The Pigeon Detectives - Romantic Type

Thanks. I enjoyed reading that.

Posted in CD Review: The Scaramanga Six - The Dance of Death

Another great thing about this album is that it generates reviews that are as lovely to read as this one.

Posted in CD Review: Insipid - s/t

no info? label? website? myspace? This sounds so bad it could be fun.

Searching for "Insipid" yields quite a lot of band reviews - none of them called Insipid. Even the name marks them out as a couple of washers short of a high hat.

Posted in CD Review: Sky Larkin - One of Two

Nice one Rick ... I hope I remembered to order my vinyl copy. Can't wait to hear it at full pelt through the Rogers speakers.

Posted in CD Review: We're Not The Cool Kids - I'm A Hungry Little Girl EP

Good work. I would say this is one of the more important and original additions to Leeds music for a while. She seems to be giving stuff away ... and there already is quite a lot of material around. Many thanks to Paul for bringing it to our attention.

Posted in CD Review: This Et Al - Baby Machine

I thought your review was a good one ... it got me involved and thinking. If you want to check my version it's at whisperinandhollerin.com - you might have to do a search to retrieve it. There is absolutely no chance of me getting involved in the forum again.

Posted in News Article: Highlights of 2006: 12 months in the life of the Leeds music scene

My pesronal highlight was probably being at the Carling Leeds Festival to feel ridiculous levels of vicarious pride seeing The Scaramanga Six and Napoleon IIIrd play fabulous and memorable sets. The sun shone bright for both of them. Happiness, or what?

The year had started well with an unrepeatable Independent Leeds Musis Awards (maybe nest year, eh?) where so many people worked so hard and so effectively. That's what a music community can really do. Well done and thank you to all.

And also on the super plus side - the Leeds Music Scene website goes from strength to strength - technically and in its contents. I don't thnink everyone realise just how bloody good it is. Some of the young 'uns just take it for granted. Ace work Dave Sugden, and thanks too to Sheila for a superb supporting role on the Forum.

Happy Christmas one and all.

Highlights of 2007 will include new super-albums from Jon Gomm and iLiKETRAiNS. Also - watch those Sky Larkins go!

Posted in CD Review: Paul Hartnoll - Patchwork Guilt

What a well-written, well-informed and engaging review. It sets a standard that everyone should aim at.

Good work Paul.

Posted in News Article: The Sunshine Underground to re-release "Commercial Breakdown"

So, changing the release date by a week indicates a bit of massage on the sales in particlar shops, no? Im betting a pound on the tuen being number 18 in teh BBC chart. I'm looking for a bookie who'll give me nice fair odds - say 20-1. It's a good tune though.

Posted in Live Review: The Twilight Singers

The man's not wrong! It was a fine set.

Posted in News Article: The Topman Unsigned Stage line up is announced for Leeds Festival 2006

I'm going to be cross as a curmudgeon if those names I don't recognise turn out to be pub rock wannabes like one or two of the outer fringes last year. Leeds alone has enough national quality talent to fill all three days ... so these other babies had better be good!

But, with six stonkingly good bands from Futuresound to add, I'm quite looking forward to seeing the whole thing.

Posted in CD Review: ¡Forward, Russia! - Give Me A Wall

¡!

Posted in CD Review: Immune - 1/f

What a great review. I'm going to dig it out and enjoy that album all over again. It really is as good as he says.

Posted in CD Review: Arctic Monkeys - Who the Fuck Are Arctic Monkeys EP

For an intereting alternative review by somoene who has been around music writing for 20+ years and who knows his stuff try Tim Peaccok's effort at www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=3712

Posted in CD Review: Roe Sham Bo - Serotonin

Yes! The review I didn't dare to write. In my head I felt that - but in fact I did this:

www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=2884

Good work Rick. Maybe beginner bands should always stick to singles, so they don't wear out new listeners' patience?

Posted in Live Review: David Thomas Broughton

That's a splendid description - you've pretty well captured what it must be like to see one of David Thomas Broughton's sets for the first time. Especially one (perhaps, but I'm not sure) where things haven't come together as neatly as they sometimes do. But if you check reviews going back over three years or so, you'll find that David has a very clear and original artistic vision. He is one of a small handful of Leeds artists getting significant recognition in the US and elsewhere. I'm not knocking you personally here - as I say, your review is a good description of your experience on the night. But readers not familiar with Broughton need to be warned that there are a number of reviews on LMS and around the world that say more about the wider picture. One notable review is of his first CD release, here: www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/b/broughton_david-thomas/complete-guide-to-insufficiency.shtml. It might be worth saying that I can hardly imagine a venue less well suited to Broughton's style than the Faversham!

Posted in Live Review: Four Tet + Explosions In The Sky

What a splendid review. I had the luxury (for once) of not planning to write a review for this one - but I know I would have really struggled to say something as direct and true as this. Good work that man. The Explosions in the Sky set was a delight. I have high hopes for a new album and a headlining tour next year.

Posted in Live Review: These Monsters + Brenda

Nice first review! More like this please.

Posted in Live Review: This Et Al + The Sunshine Underground + Corleone + The Playmates

Yes indeed. It's good to see new writers coming into their own. Keep up the good work!

Posted in CD Review: Filthy Sanchez - Untitled

Oh that was disappointing. Lovely review, great rseponse from Jim - but the music on the Filthy website was less bad and more good (and vice versa) than I had imagined. Oh well.

Posted in Live Review: The Fever + Scanners + O Fracas

fool

Posted in CD Review: Various Artists - The New Indie (Alive & Amplified For 2005)

Have to go with Noah Brown here - despite the odd one off we are talking skinny white boys with guitars, aren't we? Not very rich in music, heavy on nightlife socialbility. More of a demographic than a style, more social decoration than listening pleasure ... (I'm not knocking this - just trying to make sense of it.)

Posted in CD Review: The Cribs - Mirror Kissers

It's good. I laughed like a drain at HdF's review.

Posted in Live Review: Young Heart Attack + Seven Hours

Yeh, I met Robert Cray once. What a very nice bloke he was too. Not very blues, but a good singer and guitarist.

Posted in Live Review: Unexploded Shells + Wheelie + Girlb & The Invisible Men + Redwood Thinkers

I think she "passed" on the challenge of describing the rather messy approach and carefree delivery. Your track sounds very unsteady beginner stuff, where maybe you were aiming at free-sounding avant garde. Either way, I think it would take a bit more work to turn it into something distinctive and coherent. But it's up to every musician to do what they want to do, and the rest of us can like it or lump it. A big part of being an artist is making the decisions about whether what you sound like is what you want to sound like. Lauren suggested there was some Nirvana emulation in the live show. I didn't hear much (any?) in the mp3.

Posted in Live Review: The Futureheads

Good chap. Who are you going to write to? I'll do the same. That nice Mr Dimbleby might be the one to write to.

Posted in Live Review: Yorkshire Bone + Shot By Both Sides + Menbrain

The review did not say they sounded like Guns n rhubarb - it said they "employ shameless crowd participation from the word go and this is PROPER ROCK, like Guns'n'Roses".

Posted in CD Review: 10,000 Things - s/t

That's a 400% better rating than the NME gave it.

Posted in Live Review: Delmonica + Shearwater (Leeds) + Zenith

Excellent piece of writing. As ever, a pleasure to read.

Posted in CD Review: Towers Of London - On a Noose

Is it possible to like music made by bad people?

Posted in Live Review: Duels + ¡Forward, Russia! + iLiKETRAiNS + The Lodger + This Et Al + The Old House

Thanks for the editorial rescue there Dave. The Legend grows!

Posted in CD Review: Stuffy and The Fuses - Where's The Captain?

I love it a lot too

It has heart

Posted in CD Review: Mountaineers - Motions Of Interplanetary Dust

I wish I had a pound for every totally stupid toe curlingly bad PR blurb I have been sent. These people should be sentenced to read their own copy for eternity.

Posted in Live Review: Kaiser Chiefs + Duels + Robochrist

Good man. Well said.

Posted in CD Review: U2 - How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb

I suspect that if you three are going to satirise an eloquent critic then you're going to have to be more, not less, eloquent. However misguided he might have been, he did at least write clearly and accurately.

Posted in Live Review: Jon Gomm

I would if I had thought of it first.

Posted in CD Review: Jimmy Eat World - Futures

no, they're emo - the ultimate emo

Posted in CD Review: The Somatics - Did You Ever Love Me?

I've just got round to listening to this single. Its three songs seem to be from three completely different bands - each one of which would qualify for membership of the Leeds Elite. Amazing stuff.

Posted in Band Profile: That Fucking Tank

I had a tiny bit of trouble finding it ... the actual interview appears at excit.free.fr/interviews/itw_thatfuckingtank.htm .. amazing! very long and lots of pictures. I hear the Strasbourg gig was pretty good ... final date on the tour is Leeds on Sunday 19th.

Posted in Live Review: A Silver Mt. Zion + Little Wings

What a good review ... spot on Kelvin. There are some pics of the show at web.onetel.com/~samsaunders/lms/SMZ.htm

Posted in CD Review: This Et Al - Untitled

That'a more like an accurate summary of the review than a disagreement, I'd say.

Posted in CD Review: The Research - She's Not Leaving

I glimpsed a picture of the Research in the latest Plan B today as I leafed through - turned out to be half of the keyboard player from Black Dice. Both good, obviously.

Posted in Live Review: Hundred Reasons

If you've been to as many venues and worked behind as many bars as I have ... keep talking. Otherwise, believe me. The Cockpit is poor.

Posted in CD Review: Agent Blue - Crossbreed

Is that supposed to be support for the band? God help them.

Posted in Live Review: The Warsaw Village Band

Smashing review - great new venue. BAnd sounds terrific. I know you were only joking, but Otley does boast live music most nights of the week. Handbell ringing, brass band rehearsals, folk singing, choral society, cajun dance band, pub rock, cheesy covers, singer songwriters, jazz, Brendan Croker, manic rock ... oh yes. Not all to everyone's taste, for sure. But there's stuff going on and there's a bus back to Leeds well after 11pm. Several stars of the Leeds Music fraternity actually live in Otley and many people visit the town never to return home. It's that kind of place.

Posted in Live Review: Being 747 + The Breech + Transparent Things + Xi + Johnny's In The Basement

Mr Neil's permanent problem is how to escape from the present ...

Posted in Live Review: Westport

"a permanent band member some of the time" ... what a glorious turn of phrase, Mr Hepworth. I did enjoy the review.

Posted in CD Review: Clayhill - Small Circle

Fine review! This album is getting all sorts of reactions ... when Clayhill played at the Cockpit not so long ago they were an acoustic trio with ex Red Snappper bass player on upright - and wonderful songs. I think I'm going to have to dig this out and see how they've turned out.

Posted in Live Review: four day Hombre + Drat

If I was to have one more attempt to defend it I would say that sense is precisely the quality that is irrelevant to music (especially pop music). Sheer physical and irrrational enjoyment is the thing - and if it takes continuous unpunctauted prose to get a hint of that, I'm all for it. From past reviews I know that Annallee can write finely honed prose - so this is clearly not accident or ignorance. I agree that it's perfectly fair to say "this makes no sense to me" - but I think you need more evidence to say "this doesn't make any sense". I could easily write a dull translation for you if you like, proving that it makes sense to at least one person.

PS did you get my email?

Posted in Live Review: Babyshambles

I really liked that review. It had real enthusaism and honesty in it. But I must say I choked a bit on the history line too. Never mind. We could agree to let history decide - getting on that guest list usually takes a while.

Posted in Live Review: Waking the Witch + Gallo

Annalee Call's reviews are top ... entertaining, intelligent, interesting and instructive. More please!

Posted in CD Review: The Libertines - s/t

Our energy and attention needs to go elsewhere ... Polly Harvey, and a fantastic band, werr magnificent last night. The University Refectory is an overpriced disgrace of a venue and we should organise a boycott. Even if htey paid you to go in it is totally unsuitable for music performences. See LMS Forum for more

Posted in CD Review: Embrace - Gravity EP

a) No idea
b) One click. I'm a regular reader.

Posted in CD Review: The Scaramanga Six - Cabin Fever

Mercury Prize for 2005. Great review, awe inspiring album. It's only 8.30 am but I'm rushing to put my copy on to listen to yet again. Will the Wretched Industry have the nerve to take this monster to their fetid bosom? Let's hope not - let a million music hungry souls all post their cheques direct to Wrath for a copy. An album of this quality is an achievement that puts everything else we've celebrated this year in the shade.

Posted in Live Review: AntiProduct + The Scaramanga Six + Mr Shiraz + Phluid

What a great review! And "triumphant God-like chord" is my nomination for spot-on-musical-description of the month. "Soul Destroyer" is a classic opener.

Posted in CD Review: Bonsai Kittens - Damn You Evil Women, Damn You!

Si ... way off. Go check http://www.nicecupofteaandasitdown.com for all you need to know about biscuits.

Posted in Band Profile: Vib Gyor

"Just stick to what you want to do rather than what you think people want you to do" comes over as pretty patronising. If you're saying that Vib Gyor play things that people want them to play rather than what they want to play, my guess is you're simply wrong. As you'll discover, choosing set lists is never simple when you have a large amount of good material. A serious artist will balance their own favourites against what works for the audience they will be playing to. If the song isn't up to scratch it wouldn't be in the repertoire in the first place.

Posted in Live Review: Vib Gyor + Ormondroyd + Benjamin Wetherill

Calling Coldplay bland is such a tired cliche. Chris Martin and Gary LIghtbody both have songwriting talents that make most UK artists look foolish. Keane are in a different league. I think it's the Harrogate and District under 15s B Division.

Great review though. Makes me wish I'd been there.

Posted in News Article: The Faversham to host charity festival in August...

"August Bank Holiday Sunday", which makes it either the 1st or the 29th (which would be the same as Leeds Fest) which is the date the Gig Guide confirms.

Posted in CD Review: Tract - Destroy Reality TV

and the missing words was .... "know"

Posted in Interview: Minus

maybe if you got out more, you could find worse?

Posted in CD Review: Cardboard Cowboy - Unload Your Head

You are a very good man and will go to heaven. But not for a long time I hope. Many thanks. I wondered how I'd managed to end up with 13 facts.

Posted in Live Review: Lightning Bolt + Bilge Pump + Wolves! (of Greece) + Like a Kind of Matador

"Let Me Breathe" WAAT 015 on Gringo distributed by Shellshock is excellent.

Posted in Live Review: The Xenith Sound + Ten Seconds Of Chaos + The Black Helicopters

yeh, you've spotted the dribbling too huh? Nurse keeps mentioning it.

Posted in CD Review: Mondo - Before The Fall

web.onetel.net.uk/~samsaunders/tellinstories.mp3

Posted in CD Review: Ryan Adams - Wonderwall

great review! great nom de plume! (even if it's a real one too)

Posted in Live Review: AB Negative + Seven Acres + Accolade + Sofa Pirates

What does emo mean? How far does it's fringe spread? Does anybody care?

Posted in CD Review: Last Night's TV - Nice to Have a History

let's hope it continues! (sadly, I suspect it might not ...)

Posted in CD Review: Nutronstars - Carltonpop!!!

And they're working on it. The web monkey gets no peanuts, so it could take a while.

Posted in CD Review: The Hoarse - The way we bring it down

I think you missed two important points that came out of the thread. One was that reviewers try to write the truth about what they hear. Reviews are not like product evaluations which measure things. It's a personal thing and that's it. The other thing you missed is that the review in question came down on the negative side because of the quality of the material, not because the reviewer "can't stand rock". The songs, he wrote, were not good enough to support the band's musical talent. To quote "all of this would be fine and dandy were the songs up to the task of carrying this album past the pre-conceptions of such an antique genre". In other words, even though the kind of rock being offered is old-fashioned, it could still work if the songs were strong enough. His ears told him they weren't.

Posted in Live Review: Nina Nastasia

It's Nina herself - dark hair tied back and a dark background. The Tuvan guys can be seen at www.furious.com/perfect/tuva.html

Posted in Live Review: Tom Gourley + Benjamin Wetherill + Louise Dal + Fran Rodgers

Sorry for being so rude (and badly spelt) in that last message. The very idea that BW plays blues is so laughable that I was unable to maintain my usual sang froid. Perhaps the vegetable person caught a certain Davy Graham via Bert Jansch inflection in his Ray Charles (RIP) style bass lines. (you know AA,GG,FF,EE played with the right thumb while i,m and a twiddle about on the top three strings ... da daddla daa ...) Anyway, he'll probably pop back with the technical words for all this. I think Ray Charles was around in the 40s - but BW (of course) does not look, sound or play even a bit like Ray Charles. Hit the Road Jack, as they say.

Posted in CD Review: Justin Evans - My Revolution

http://www.ravensbourne.com/rav_newreleases.htm

Posted in CD Review: Samsa - Quiet Places

It is distinctly creepy now you come to mention it. Perhaps I am metamorphosing into a band? Or, worse still, perhaps the band are metamorphosing into a senile beetle-like reviewer? Or even the Beatles? How will it all end? ... go to: www.mala.bc.ca/~johnstoi/stories/kafka-E.htm

Posted in Live Review: Jon Gomm + Tim Canfer

no

Posted in CD Review: Instant Species - Meat Pie Argument

I had a copy - but I ate it. It was good. If I spin fast enough you can still hear the tunes tinkling away like broken teeth in a cyclotron.

Posted in Live Review: Buen Chico + AB Negative + Ali Whitton + Soberskin

I stand by what I said - a little encouragement and praise (I did enjoy the review) plus one negative (but not damaging) observation. And I stand by the practice of commenting on reviews. I think it's good that such discussions should follow, it helps to correct the single-mindedness of one reviewer and it gives a chance to people who feel left out to put their viwpoint in. Maybe it's good that the commentary should be tucked away from the main review itself like this. When it gets silly it can reflect badly on the band concerned, and that isn't fair.

Posted in CD Review: Melodyme - A Cautionary Tale

Whereas the obituary column tends to include a lot of names and facts.

Posted in Live Review: sammyUSA + Silvertin

The second one reads to me like someone who likes the people in the band trying not to be too unkind about the show. It confirms the blunt and direct observations of Monsieur P. Personally I Would nver "believe" one review. If I can't check a band directly for myself I would read several reviews and see what common points there were.

Posted in CD Review: The Bilderberg Group - s/t

That's a vile accusation ... leave the poor guy alone.

Posted in CD Review: Bonsai Kittens - The Big Laugh Happy Happy Joy Joy Album

chuckles at the thought

Posted in Live Review: The Alamo

Bit of a scoop, I'd say

Posted in CD Review: The Hair - Untitled

Just get on with it. I always thought Oasis and Nirvana were boring, so what do I know? I'm curious about how you think it's "blatant pop". Compared to who? Which pop acts are doing stuff like this?

Posted in CD Review: TMF - s/t

would it be even better if they were 12?

Posted in CD Review: Ryan Adams - Rock n Roll

did you post that for a bet?

Posted in Live Review: Múm + Animal Collective

What a great review. Off I go to get an album ...

Posted in CD Review: Chumbawamba - Un

Eh up Gavin ... Chumbawumba are indeed a very fine band, with a long history and some great songs. Have a read of http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=1070 for my wittering on about their part in a recentish Irish Centre gig.

Posted in CD Review: Monte Carlo - Trilogy #1

Go get teh demo at the Packhorse tonight (Thursday 29th April) for nowt! Being 747 are also playing . Looks good.

Posted in CD Review: Medium 21 - Killings from the Dial

and is it any good?

Posted in CD Review: Parisman - The Answer To Example 1

A very good review of a very good recording. Top stuff.

Posted in CD Review: The Noise - Untitled

Yeh ... I was going to write "Ingwe Malmsteen" but that was even harder.

Posted in Live Review: Adam Masterson + F-iamma + Hera

Dusty, I think.

Posted in Live Review: Pray For Hayden + Tract + Dub City + Blue Tile Lounge

Blue Tile Lounge or Blue Tiled Lounge?

It looks to me like the reviewer did ask someone, but misheard. It's easily done.

It is entirely up to the singer how he behaves - (well, the band the would want some input I guess) but it's also entirely up to the reviewer how he describes it, and entirely up to the reader as to whether he/she agrees with the reviewer's judegement.

As a reader I didn't read "half a dozen supportive followers" to mean "only six in the venue" - it read to me like there was a small group of enthusiastic people in the crowd who already knew the band, and that it what the reviewer described. It didn't occur to me that there wre only 19 other people there.

"you could at least check a few facts" is a bit over the top and patronising ... the guy got one name wrong, even though he obviously made an effort to find out what it was. Which other facts are you arguing about?

Posted in Live Review: Snow Patrol + Astrid

what a lovely analogy

Posted in CD Review: The Psychedelic Breakfast - Confusion

sounds good to me

Posted in CD Review: Space - Suburban Rock'n'Roll

And can be used at the end of a sentence that begins with the word and.

Posted in News Article: The Cribs release their debut album on March 8th...

Did you see today's review in the Metro?

Posted in Live Review: Yo La Tengo + Gorky's Zygotic Mynci

Nice one Gavin! The Kiss Your Ass Goodbye song was Sun Ra's "Nuclear War" - I was running for the bus at that point!

Posted in Live Review: Parisman + les Flames! + four day Hombre + The Somatics + This Et Al + Black Wire

so you've read it then ... and you think the Somatics are rock and roll? Hmm

Posted in Live Review: Cactus + Instant Species + iLiKETRAiNS

I'm not sure that Sean got the measure of iLIKEtRAINS. Try the mp3 clip at http://www.iliketrains.co.uk/futile.htm

Posted in Live Review: APB + Bosseye + Bonsai Kittens

hmm. not a very constructive critique of Sean's review, is it? Any positive suggestions? Personally I think it's great that we're getting more people involved in writing and getting readers psyched up a bit. The crack about "failed muso" has been used many times before though - usually when the accuser knows nothing about the defendant.

Posted in Live Review: The Stills + The Open + Kaiser Chiefs

The Poetic Licences?

Posted in CD Review: Spring - Four

Oops! It was Tony P. who was accurate, not me! My apologies.

Posted in CD Review: Spring - Circle Cake

I think that many of the LMS review writers have experience of writing music. Me included.

"Crettin" is usually spelt "cretin".

Posted in CD Review: Daghdha - Start of the Mile

"generally unimaginative Leeds scene, dominated as it is by generic pop-punk and the occasional 'innovative' ska movement" Lewis - good to see some new talent on the writing front! Get yourself out to the Cardigan Arms, The Adelphi, The Packhorse, Brudenell Social Club, The Vine (and others) There is plenty of avant garde/ecelctic/different music going on. Maybe it doesn't shout loud, but it's deinitely there to be found! Try Deerpark tonight at Joseph's Well for example.

Posted in Live Review: The Tennessee Traincrash + The Grips + The Old House

a few more pictures from the gig at http://web.onetel.net.uk/~samsaunders/vine.htm

Posted in CD Review: Menbrain - Give Me A Reason

"The Darkness this is not". You both agree.

"recordings do them no justice"
You both agree.

So what's the problem?

Posted in CD Review: Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place

A kind person at Bella Union has told me that the track listings for Explosions in The Sky are:

First Breath after coma
The only moment we were alone
Six days at the bottom of the ocean
Memorial
Your hand in mine

Posted in CD Review: Being 747 - Fun and Games

I like the album Paul, but not so much that I want to marry the drummer ... oh, you mean ... er ... pink face ...

Posted in CD Review: Black Wire - Attack! Attack! Attack!

I thought it worked pretty well in expressing an attitude to (and of?) the band and their would-be detractors. In some other places it has become so routine that it doesn't work anymore - it just makes the wriitng look lazy.

Posted in CD Review: Ram - For Your Love EP

It says here: "HWRECKCD1 Ram: For Your Love EP is available from HMV, Rough Trade."

Posted in CD Review: Sawthroat - Slave EP

I was trying to make the point that the recording quality and the playing was good but the material wasn't so strong. A really good live band (I guess) who at this stage would be better on versions of other people's stuff than on their own material maybe?

Posted in Live Review: Nina Nastasia + Great Bear + David Thomas Broughton

Otley! He's really good - also did an electronica spot recently - go digging in W&H for another mention there with Tropical Vibrations.

Posted in Live Review: Handsome Family + Blanche

See an alternative review (from the older generation) at http://www.whisperinandhollerin.com/reviews/review.asp?id=1017

Posted in Band Profile: Bilge Pump

And, by a nice coincidence are playing just down the road from RPC at the Brudenell this very night (Thursday 6th Nov). With the very promising Him.

Posted in Live Review: The Futureheads

Yeh! great review - cracking band. I think they could be huge. This message was last edited on 29/10/03 22.53:07

Posted in Live Review: The Tennessee Traincrash + The Barbs + No Problem Disko

cleared very nicely - thanks. But have you also noticed how often we see the expression of negative emotions as somehow more honest than attempts to describe the positive ones? And sometimes it isn't fair to stick those emotions (positive or negative) onto the artist ... It's an honest story, but should it honestly be aimed at the band you are reviewing? Difficult stuff. I think Dan was clear enough - certainly clear enough for me to understand what his gripe was and for me to feel comfortable about disagreeing with him.

PS I read all your stuff Cathy - and I think it's very good indeed. It's really encouraging to have you and now several others joining in - the quality goes up and the number of artists who get some attention goes up. This message was last edited on 27/10/03 14.56:09

Posted in Band Profile: Map Of You

Maybe Dr Who could arrange something?

Posted in Live Review: Killing Joke + Lowrider

Exactly. James wrote the story - and you guys have repeated what he said. Basically he wrote: "I didn't know what I was in for - this is how I reacted". It's a brave way to write. And very honest. (For msyself I tend to look a few things up first so that I can at least pretend to know what I'm on about. Surely if the only reviews given space were those written by accredited experts in the territory claimed by the artist we would be in a sorry mess. Popular music is not about expertise and accumulated wisdom. It's about right now. And right now is very complex. It's so complex that the review was put in a place where great comments like yours could be added as a permanent part of the record ... so Killing Joke isn't going to be less well understood in the long run.

No review at all (the fate suffered by most bands most nights) is far more of a problem. So, again, get writing 'em! This message was last edited on 11/10/03 15.17:07

Posted in Live Review: Cinerama + The Call

Well, he does manage lower case typing, spelling and coherent thought. So that's a start.

Posted in CD Review: The Bandits - And They Walked Away (album sampler)

Posted in Live Review: Simple Kid + Black Wire + Komakino

why concede that getting talked about is worth anything? Isn't that part of the Sick Celebrity Syndrome that afflicts us? Famous for being famous? It makes me ill. It's what leaves us with crap like Kylie, Dido and Robbie Williams.

Posted in CD Review: Dugong - Hat Danko

I had wanted to write credits for each band member in the review - the playing is very sharp and individual contributions are significant. I am told that the line up is as follows: Matt Broadbent - Sings, Sam Smyth - Guitars, Andrew Jarvis - Bass, Tim Bradley - Drums. However on track 1 Matt plays one of the guitars ...and on the last song... Tim Bradley - Sings & Guitars, Sam Smyth - Guitars, Steve Baggins - Guitars, Matt Broadbent - Bass, Andrew Jarvis - Drums. So there you have it. And I'm listening again and it just gets better.

Posted in Live Review: sammyUSA + Overseer + Kaiser Chiefs

excellent bit of logic! any other good advice?

Posted in CD Review: Mark Owen - Four Minute Warning

Funny old world eh? Strong feelings, deep commitment, the misery of being unfairly misunderstood, the need to have the last word ... Meet in a pub or club and all would be well. Meet on-line and all the crap gets distorted and amplified ... and no one's paying any attention to what anyone else might be saying or feeling ... just like a Nirvana tune, really. Don't be cross, we're all the same underneath.

Posted in CD Review: Smilex - Mystique / Sex 4 Sale

Blimey, looks like I got one right for a change!

Posted in CD Review: Clarkesville - Secret File

I read it subliminally! Did you write one? Sorry I was tired and a bit pissed off. Neither you nor Michael Clarke deserve my snide comments - but on the other hand you're both big enough boys to withstand the puny assault.

Posted in Live Review: Kenosha + The Longshots + les Flames!

but I don't think any of us are teachers, are we? Definitely could use some sleep though.

Posted in CD Review: Broadcast - Ha Ha Sound

Iconoclastic for sure! However, readers unaware of Broadcast as Warp Records' pet pop band might like to check out one or two other reviews before deciding how one and a half stars they are. See for example dot music's attempt at:
http://www.dotmusic.com/reviews/Albums/August2003/reviews30421.asp
or maybe Playlouder, with its wee sample to listen to at:
http://www.playlouder.com/review/+hahasound/
or even Dessigner Magazine at:
http://designermagazine.tripod.com/BroadcastALBUMREV3.html

Posted in News Article: Futuresound 2003 winners announced...

Well that's good! Three bands I like and three bands I've never heard of. Someone's doing something right.

Posted in Band Profile: Urban Jazz Guerrillas

Are you confusing "good" with "original"? I could point you to a dozen bands in Leeds who (if they owned up) would be offended by being told they weren't original. And while Urban Jazz Guerillas are phenomenally good players, "original" is an unusual word to pick for describing their very groovy mainstream jazz rock sound. If we take UJG's music as a mark of "original" then I'd have to include a lot more the 12 bands in my list of orignals. I think we're probably just disagreeing over my understanding of the word original. But my point about comparing the quality of your favourites with the weakneses of unnamed bands in general still holds. It's not a good way to sell the virtue of your own favourites.

Posted in Live Review: Easy Now All Stars + Capital State + Clear

Were Iration Steppas part of the night? How did that go?

Posted in CD Review: Girls Aloud - Sound Of The Underground

I'm over here in the dark corner ... I'm not coming out till it's all gone away ... Madonna cool? ... shudders

Posted in CD Review: The Alamo - Hello Venus!

good of you to ask! But all the words are there to be used ... either together or in carefully selected chunks. When I've nicked whole reviews, I try to remember to credit the copyright owner (Dave Sugden in this case) He hasn't sued me yet!

Posted in Band Profile: Rob Nichols

You're right on all counts - songwriting isn't a contest. Rob is very good indeed and those songs are among my favourites. In teh Leeds area there are some other very good writers - James Fewtrell is not well known, but has some fabulous songs. Nick Hall (see recent review) is very accomplished too. Johnny Berliner and the Bilderberg Group, Last Night's TV and Instant Species - oh and Scaramnaga Six and Dave Cooke - all have very high songwriing standards. Lots more as well I'm sure.

Posted in Band Profile: Darwin

I saw Darwin do an open mike spot in Idle or somewhere back in 1999/2000 about Christmas time. They were bloody good. And if you want preposterous comparisons, they reminded me of the Everley Brothers. (which, of course, doesn't mean they actually sound like 'em - but memory and hearing are funny things. You don't hear what I hear, and vice versa.

Posted in CD Review: The Blueskins - User Friendly

I was being diplomatic ... Domino must have thought they were very exotically North of England or something. They sound like rank beginners to me. But maybe that's the whole point?

Posted in CD Review: The Skins - Untitled

Neat job I'd say. This 'demo' (the truth can now be told) was actually a recording made for fun in 1982. It was done in a 'proper' recording studio, but the copy you heard had been stored for 21 years on a cheap cassette and transferred recently to a CD-R. It is a bit alarming to see that it still got more stars than many much more recent demos from bands who have all that history to benefit from but who still manage to turn out codswallop. The hated bass player was ...how could you have known? But I still don't forgive you for getting it so right... me. The other band members were good musicians, one of whom is still very much in the business.