Search for vocal line performed on Thursday, 8th January 2009.
vocal line
We found the term vocal line in 248 articles.
Colour of Fire, acclaimed local(ish) alt-rockers, opened up tonight in front of a reasonable crowd. Having just finished a considerable UK tour, they didn't seem at all tired, or perturbed to back in their regular gigging territory.
The Distillers @ The Refectory
It was cold, it was raining and I had to queue up for like half an hour to get in... but to be honest that's the only real negative of the night; well there is another but I'll get on to that soon enough...
It has to be said, I like this. A lot. The former Bingo boys have written an appealing, melody driven guitar pop CD under their new guise Be; a CD that fits nicely into a genre classification of classic indie pop with a clear dance undertone.
LaRusso: Can't Let It Go / Seven Days
A two note guitar motif grabs your attention before a stop start vocal line slowly leads you into the pogo inducing chorus of 'Can't Let It Go'.
Queen Adreena: Pretty Like Drugs
Katie Jane has long been a star, campaigning the right of the grrrl to fucking rock, her latest band replacing the awesome noisefest that was nineties band Daisy Chainsaw.
The Japanaro line-up has changed since they recorded their four-track EP last year, boasting a new sound and a new vocalist.
The album version of this track has been spiced up with drums, the tempo upped and tinkered with to make it more 'radio friendly' but fortunately that doesn't interfere with the heart of this song.
Alternative. Alternative is a term used so often today that it begins to lose all meaning, but when I came across this track it was like it had become crystal, because that's exactly what this Leeds 6-piece are. It becomes clear that this isn't a band that just get together, knock out a few riffs and 'slap' a vocal on top.
It may be taking one hell of a long time but there are slight signs Engerica may actually be making a dent in British rock.
Playfully messing around with choir-boyed Mark E. Smith vocal quirks, this is more big drum racket from Beachbuggy.
This is the second album from Belgian alt-pop outfit Sharko and yet from its 15 tracks there is a struggle to find any true stand out moments.
La Russo's "fourletterword" starts with a big surge of rising chords and ringing guitar. The song itself is an open, yearning melody.
Ska tinged rock without the horn sections, verging into metal at times with growling vocals and guitars to match.
This CD has a five star production on some uncertain material. There's a terrific sound to it, recorded as it is in a "purpose built studio" (what other sorts are there?).
Shlomo to direct World's first Human Beatbox choir
On 18th March, hundreds of music fans will witness a special performance of live music by 'Shlomo and the Vocal Orchestra', performed using only the mouths, lips, tongues and vocal cords of 15 singers and beatboxers.
The first thing I notice about this track is that it has the same name as a great Feeder album track.
Right from the word go, you can tell that Zealous are a force to be reckoned with. They describe themselves as "Modern rock with a dynamic twist", and yes, the modern rock part of the statement statement is just about true but the "dynamic twist" I'm not too sure about though.
Hayley Hutchinson: Independently Blue
York's Hayley Hutchinson has set up her own label, HayLo Media, to release this debut album of country tinged acoustic tunes.
Shakinouts: Time You Were Told
The debut single from Leeds four-piece Shakinouts is a bouncy indie pop number that sits very squarely within its genre.
Ethan Daniel Davidson: Free the Ethan Daniel Davidson Five
A chance encounter with a couple of drunken Americans leads to me receiving a few albums from Detroit's Times Beach Records for review.
Loqui: I Can't Believe It's Not Better
An ostentatious biography package accompanies this 'Greatest Hits' compilation from Loqui, which also encompasses their life as Vertigo Green.
The impact is immediate. As soon as you hear Brooke Dundas' voice you know this girl is something special.
Delmonica as a band has existed for a couple of years, growing and evolving. In one of their earlier incarnations the musical leaning was towards Detroit punk, New York garage & Motown, but the eclectic musical tastes of the band has resulted in the current line up and sound taking a more refined yet lo-fi twist.
Last Night's TV: Better Than That
This CD was a challenge to me as I am not used to reviewing acoustic material but I thought I would give it a go.
Los Guys: La Noche De San Juan
Get yer fake afro on and don you best platforms. Los Guys have in "La Noche De San Juan" delivered what is a truly unique offering, a danceathon jazz fest which spins around your head like the supergran theme once did.
Achingly current, crossing Bloc Party with The Music and The Rapture it's like an NME journalists wet dream.
This Et Al: Everything's irrelevant and no idea's original
The big art rock sound of This Et Al has plenty of variety and invention about it. There's a range of influences from Radiohead through Mogwai to Interpol and a vigorously accomplished approach to playing their instruments.
The Glitterati: Do you love yourself?
Poptones is steadily building up a healthy roster of artists with a fair range of diversity. From Martin Carr's Brave Captain to Cosmic Rough Riders via The Bellrays.
Obsessive Compulsive: Crash EP
I was looking forward to listening to this CD, because it had a female vocalist, and I just love listening to bands with female vocalists and this was no exception.
The most striking thing about this single is how it takes seemingly disparate parts of guitar-based pop music from the last 25 years and turns them into a rolling, modern blast of a song.
I was fortunate to see Superelectric in action at the Circuit tour a few weeks ago, so knew exactly what to expect from their demo.
The Palms really fit the modern day bill with their take on the current Indie rock / dance scene ala Kasabian, but one or too vocal production issues and an occasional penchant for misguided fret-wanking hold them back from hitting the full throttle.
Three minutes and one second of dramatic, passionate emotional angst-ridden rock and although this sorta thing's not altogether my bag: this is great.
Annika Line Trost might be best recognised for her exploits with electro pop outfit Cobra Killer, but the Berlin based artist's self-produced 2nd solo album Trust Me certainly deserves some acknowledgment.
The first-floor room at Milo's is, under normal circumstances, easily missed. You may have passed it en route to the facilities, but normally you'd be loafing around downstairs thinking that the (admittedly consistent) bar soundtrack was about as much aural stimulus as you'd require for an evening's drinking-cum-socializing.
Vessels: Two Words & A Gesture
Shoegaze and experimental music can be quite hit-and-miss. Some would probably argue, with more than just slight condescension, it's more often miss; but then it's these factions that miss out on some of the more interesting artistic visions on the music scene.
Polarize: Continuous Performance
It's amazing what clues are given away by the letter/biog that accompanies a CD. In the case of Polarize it's a one line letter scrawled in biro: "Here's our first 4 track EP, completely self produced...
Pearl Jam @ Leeds Festival 2006
Whilst some bands over the weekend will be dwarfed by the enormity of the main stage Pearl Jam seem to fill it just by walking out on to it.
Merchandise: Swallowing Curses
Welcome to my Casio hell. The programming here is not exactly inspiring and smells suspiciously like someone just hit the 'demo' button.
Viva Voce: Faster Than A Dead Horse
Viva Voce's latest single 'Faster Than A Dead Horse' is a psychedelic pop gem. Soak up the feel of the song and you'll think you're cruising through San Francisco in the mid-60's.
In the first fifty seconds of joyous simplicity, Micawba burst through all the barriers. "In all her dresses" is a shimmering song in a performance to put alongside "There she Goes" by the Las.
A clumsy first intro and a lightly thin vocal sound from Singer John Roberts gave me a first impression that Spitfire Charlie were just another emo-esque double garage band from Adel.
"In life, I'm excited by things that I don't understand" goes the opening line to Napoleon IIIrd's debut, a 7" single on the fast-becoming-legendary-already Dance To The Radio label.
"Five men, a large number of instruments" proclaims the press release accompanying Xi's latest magnum opus, the three track EP "Low".
This 4 track EP released on Loog Records centres around "We can never say goodbye" which is taken from the band's recent album "Statues".
The Glitterati @ Fibbers (York)
"We all wanna be big, big stars but we don't know why and we don't know how". So sang Counting Crows, which subsequently became their 'how'.
In amongst the punks, skaters and frightening ska types in the local scene sit Beautiful Feet, an altogether more relaxed and calming bunch of guys, playing acoustic guitars and singing delicate songs about the brighter things in life.
On awaiting 'No Roots' I heard a rumour that it was a political album. This had me slightly worried as I believe music made with a political agenda often sounds awkward, forced, and artificial, although, I admit there are exceptions.
Christopher May, guitar slinger for hire. Who? Chris Catalyst, that's who, erstwhile guitarist/bassist for The Sisters of Mercy, Anti Product, The Dead Pets, Ginger from The Wildhearts, amongst others.
A bold effort from The Ga Gas here; their melodic rock sound has certainly set them in line to be pretty big up and coming.
Band Profile: Go Ahead Backup!
indie pop
It's not often that I listen to a review CD as many times as this. Unyson's six track "Science Fiction" has some right good songs, played and sung with style and conviction.
"Through a mutual like of Ben Folds Five" is not a line that commonly crops up in a bands biog, but true to their word Melodyme serve plenty of pia-pia-piano.
Florence & The Machine: Kiss With A Fist
London-based Florence & The Machine has Florence Welch at its core, with past collaborators including Dev Hynes (Lightspeed Champion and Test Icicles).
Various Artists: Rough Trade Shops - Counter Culture 2007
Every year since 2003 there's been a Counter Culture - or at least, a Counter Culture that's been documented by Rough Trade on a Counter Culture compilation.
Young six-piece De Novo Dahl come from Murfreesboro, Tennessee (population 68,816). Murfreesboro has been named the Most Livable Town in Tennessee.
Sounding like five tracks fresh from the rehearsal rooms this demo announces another exciting project from Kevin McGonnel of And None of Them Knew They Were Robots.
The CD from Spring was quite a mixed bag because there were 10 tracks on here. The 1st track, "Not At The Same Time", was a blast from the past because at the start I half expected Mick Jagger to come out dancing!
These guys are from New York and it's safe to say they are cool cats. Lump 'em in the same bracket as The Faint if you must - essentially, "electroclash rock band".
"Foot in Mouth" is a fine pop tune with a relentless four to the bar disco floor slapping whump of a beat-box noise.
In recent years, so many Bradford bands have passed through without a mention, by not living up to the hype that has been set by their peers.
Hailing from Detroit, Deadstring Brothers have delivered a fine album worth of songs that evoke thoughts of 'Exile On Main Street'.
Oceansize: One Day All This Could Be Yours
Chris Sheldon (Feeder and so on) has done a very tidy production job on a couple of new but shapeless and over extended Oceansize tunes, with a storming live recording of "Massive Bereavement" that pushes the playing time up to over 20 minutes.
Ahhhh, fuck. What the hell is that? After a few seconds of silence I was tempted to increase the volume on my speakers, little did I know that this was not a wise idea; the next thirty seconds were to be taken up with some chaotic, distorted and loud effects.
Tindersticks: Don't even go there EP
Get warmed up for this Summer's album release and tour with four new songs from an effortlessly mature Tindersticks.
Two things immediately spring out on the three-track demo CD from four-piece "atmospheric rockers" Lunar Camels.
I've got a lot of time for the Cardboard Brothers ... forced screamy voice notwithstanding. They are creating their own sound, and finding a genuinely distinctive corner of pop territory all of their own.
While others are off on tour supporting Beth Orton in the U.S we British Lizards are stuck here to take the heat.
Sheffield's Dead Like Harry are a six piece with a strong folk influence. The press release that accompanies this CD bemoans the invasion of Pop Idol and the like upon our ears.
A Day Left: The pseudo post neo modern avante bassment garden rock EP
Two spelling mistakes in a pisstake title that takes no piss is not a good start. A sound check drum intro to a trying-hard-to-impress first track takes things down another notch.
Seismic Loveshift: Any Old Price
"sei'smic love'shift (n.) - geological earth movement akin to orgasm commonly occuring in West Yorkshire, created by the tumultuous confluence of crisp drumming, melodic bass, clean guitar and vocal mellifluence performing some of the most thoughtful, inspiring and haunting music of the twenty-first century" - SL.
Red Bee Society: When We Talk of Horses
Every so often a band comes out of nowhere and punches you in the kidneys before ripping out your heart and then skipping off down the pub laughing.
This two tracker from The Outlines is a self-produced side step from the rock-pop formula adopted on previous releases.
The Scaramanga Six: The Continuing Saga Of
Whatever they might get up to in Huddersfield, The Scaramanga Six are pretty big in the large city of Leeds.
The Twilight Sad: Fourteen Autumns & Fifteen Winters
Epic, intense, dramatic, cinematic... just a few words you might use to describe this Glasgow-based quartet's debut album.
Last Night's TV: Nice to Have a History
Spencer Bayles and company have taken a big leap forward with this richly-produced single. Main song "Nice to Have a History" has a haunting tune and a warmer range of sounds than the customary Last Night's TV signature.
Ella Guru: 3 Songs from Liverpool
Key words. Exquisite. Pastoral. Oceanic. Delicate. Tender. Mellifluous. Treasured. Arboreal. Confiding.
Dinosaur Pile-up @ Leeds Festival 2008
Matt Bigland, guitar and vocals, Tom Dornford-May, bass guitar, and Steve Wilson drums are the relatively new Dinosaur Pile-up.
There is a feeling of beginnings about the CD from Bright Young Things selected Quicklime. It's very "home recordings" in presentation (an unlabelled tape) and in it's sound.
In the middle of the country's petrol crisis live music just doesn't get any breaks does it. Tonight was supposed to feature three bands, but we had just the two as Inhale had to pull due to transport problems.
The idea behind mentioning Sigur Ros in the first line of their bio, was probably a vague effort on the part of Fell City Girl's PR team to try and draw off the inevitable tide of comparisons heading their way.
The Ladykillers: The Stars Of A Teenage Wet Dream
Having been exposed to The Ladykillers' live experience - and to be honest, not being overly impressed - I nervously accepted a request for a review of "The Stars Of A Teenage Wet Dream", their latest CD.
Lee, Kieran, Cameron and Si from Rising Times are the new boys on the English rock scene and they've already made a huge impact, having just supported The Cooper Temple Clause and opened at the QuingDoa International Festival in China in front of 27,000 revellers.
Farming Incident: What can you do with a pig's head and sheep's brains?
Farming Incident are disturbing. Their three track CD demo is not only titled "What can you do with a pig's head and sheep's brains?", a title to get any decent human being worried about what they are about to encounter, but their opening track Rostov begins with the lyrics "When I was a boy, My father used to give me cigarettes, Then beat me up for smoking, When I was a boy, I used to torture my pets".
The name Demon Summer immediately conjures up images of Satan chilling on a beach in Cornwall while the sun beats down on his already fiery flesh.
For the most part, this Lincolnshire based folk-rock outfit, offer pretty ordinary acoustic picking/strumming tunes of the brand that will be eternally popular in pubs whose name begins O' or round the campfires of crusty festivals.
The Wind-up Birds: My Life Was Ruined By The Wind-Up Birds
"Warning signal, warning sign, put these thoughts out of your mind" are the first words that you are greeted with when listening to The Wind-up Birds' new EP and they will be same words that you'll spend the next week singing to yourself whether you like it or not.
Tim Fletcher: Winter Into Spring
The seasonally-titled Winter Into Spring is Tim Fletcher's first professionally recorded CD. The unsigned singer-songwriter originates from West Yorkshire (though currently located in Sheffield), and cites impressive influences such as; Nick Drake, Neil Young, Bright Eyes and Devendra Banhart.
The Psychedelic Breakfast: Confusion
On this set of three studio tracks, the erstwhile Psychedelic Breakfast from Tyneside have come a long way from last year's live recording of slightly dodgy psyche-noodling and jamming.
After already being one up on the fact I had seen these girls perform all these tracks live, whilst supporting The Almighty in Sheffield, I was interested to see how well it sounded on more produced level because their set was pretty bloody good.
This CD is bloody amazing! I was given this when we had just played a storming set at Josephs Well. I had the original "Wow Signal" EP from VISA, which I acquired from the Blue Star gig a couple of months ago.
Halifax-based covers band playing popular music
Farming Incident: Our Glorious Five Year Plan
The black sheep of the Wrath Records family, Farming Incident have been ploughing (ouch) their trade in these fields, as it says on the tin, for five years or so.
Medium 21: Killings from the Dial
It just gets tougher doesn't it? An album that would have been shockingly good three years ago is merely good at today's prices.
Five O'Clock Heroes: Speak Your Language
'Speak Your Language' by Five O'Clock Heroes kicks off in the best possible form with the ear-Prozac of 'Judas.' This song will make you instantly fall in love with frontman's Antony Ellis' addictively angular voice and the band's talent for mixing awkward indie with just the right amount of pop, to create something that's original, but accessible.
four day Hombre: The First Word is the Hardest
Perfect pop. Just what daytime radio should be playing all the time. Three accomplished tracks on one CD with style, passion, ingenuity and wit.
The Scaramanga Six: Strike! Up the Band
Strike! Up the Band is a monster. The 13 songs, the two videos and the SIX SIX SIX count-in absolutely guarantee one hell of a good mood.
This preview for an album-in-the-pipeline is Ramon's first on Fishsoup Records. It is an exquisite piece of work.
Fresh from an NME pasting, Your Vegas take to the Faversham's stage in front of a good sized crowd. The review of new single 'Flybuzz' criticised the band for daring not to be an identikit copycat of every other band you can hear on the radio or read about in the press.
Nathaniel Green @ Joseph's Well
This New Years treat sponsored by Bombed Out Records filled the well for a day with 11 rockin bands. Non-stop good music at Leeds/Britain's favourite venue (tests have proved) where the beer flows like, er, wine?
Johnny Foreigner: Waited Up 'Til It Was Light
Johnny Foreigner are a strange band in that they have consistently got great reviews including a 10/10 for their debut EP 'Arcs Across The City' on Drowned For Sound and an 8/10 for this their debut album from NME, yet they still remain an unknown quantity outside of their hardcore followers and have received little hype compared to what a lot of other new bands have.
LaRusso: My Indecision Is Final
Self recorded and self produced eh? Usually sounds like a recipe for disaster amongst local bands. Well, not this time, I suggest everyone ships out to Casa La Russo and asks them to work their magic on their own records.
Band Profile: Redwood Thinkers
Sounding like Fleetwood Mac, smelling like the Barenaked Ladies and looking like the Beautiful South the Redwood Thinkers are a Leeds based acoustic / pop five piece who were described in Sandman Magazine as "truly original song writing...
Hey dismals, cheer up. It's Tract to the rescue. They refuse to enjoy dross, shit or reality TV. They make a lovely fresh noise with bass, guitar, drums and two fine voices.
This is essentially a standard 4-track demo, albeit a topsy turvey one. Two of the best tracks from the band's debut album A Song For Gill and 2 sneak previews from the forthcoming album Loved And Lost due out in the very near future.
Invention Of Hands: Consider Yourself Denied EP
The first thing I noticed was the high standard of the artwork & packaging, which would not look at all out of place in the racks at HMV; however, the CD itself is plain and detracts from the overall appearance.
Parisman: Responsible for Everything EP
Parisman's "Responsible for Everything" EP starts in a blaze of unabashed Geetar Rock-disco synthesiser fusion.
Receiving an EP from a band that lists influences ranging from Radiohead to Jeff Buckley to Nirvana, I had no idea what would greet me when I started listening.
I love gigs like this. You go down to some random (admittedly, in the case of the Faversham, glorified) pub on the outskirts of the city to see a band or two that you've never heard of and to be brutally honest, probably never will again.
Rock/Alternative/Progressive
Ethan and Nathan Dickens, Stuart Morrison , Rob Soulsby and Tom Francis: Fierce Panda's latest punt into the unknown.
Kanuba are the fretboard funkateers looking to put the pork into York and the groove into West Yorkshire with their latest EP release.
BYT bands are rocking the Crypt...
Sound checks and vocal warm ups came to the forefront this week as the first of the 15 bands taking part in Leeds Leisure Services 'Bright Young Things 2003', took to the stage for their debut in the Crypt of the Town Hall.
I was slightly nervy before reviewing this CD; the reason being that I'd heard a number of people comment adversely on it - at first I could see what they meant; but the more I've listened to it the more it has developed.
Chickenhawk's debut long-player is an ambitious and heroic montage of many different types of metal. Crunching riffs swing themselves between battering rhythms and off-kilter tempo changes, and are often interspersed with throat-destroying vocal theatrics and glitches of weird electronica.
I bet Thee Virus House really get annoyed all the time with people printing their name The Virus House, because yes that wasn't a spelling mistake or typo, they are Thee Virus House.
L-shaped karaoke joint, The Vine, is the place to showcase bands without stroking their egos or firing them into major limelight.
The Glitterati @ Joseph's Well
I was too late for tonight's openers - I arrive and they say "thank you and good night" - just too late.
Various Artists: Bright Young Things 2002
The Bright Young Things CD for 2002 is being distributed by Leeds City Council in April as a free addition to the glossy and widely available Leeds Guide.
Last Night's TV: Quiet Storm EP
The opening song "Quiet Storm" will be on Last Night's TV's forthcoming album "Too Much in Doubt". The three other tracks, "Some Place to Go", "Shoes, Model's Own", and "Gone" (this last played solo) can only be found here.
Lucky Jim: You're Lovely to Me
"... you may hear echoes of Neil Young, Lee Hazlewood, Nick Cave, Van Morrison, Serge Gainsbourg, Arthur Lee, Leonard Cohen, Brian Wilson, Gram Parsons, Bob Dylan, Ewan MacColl, Phil Spector and many others ..." (Skint Records website) You may also find traces of nuts.
Having had this band recommended to me, receiving an email from BMG with a sound snippet and then stumbling upon a lonesome copy of this EP I decided that it was fate and took the poor little blighter home with me.
A trip down to Joseph's Well a while ago saw me coming away with a 5-track demo CD from York/Leeds band Blueryder.
"We're the warm-up band" announces Cooper's entrance to tonight's proceedings. Following on from the previous night where we were entertained not only musically but also through an on-going dialogue with Four Day Hombre, we are again in conversation with tonights bands.
The second night of the reborn It's Gone Ballistic, the weekly local band showcase taking place at the Rocket Venue on a Tuesday night saw a male-female split.
36 Crazyfists: Rest Inside the Flames
36 Crazyfists, for anyone that cares to remember, were vaguely lumped in with the late 90's nu-metal scene, bands such as Papa Roach stealing their thunder with generic riffs and catchy choruses.
All Time Low: So Wrong It's Right
If you like your pop-punk to sound just like the early The Starting Line or New Found Glory with a pinch of pre fame Fall Out Boy songs, sweet summary vocals and hooks that could catch Moby Dick, then All Time Low are your new favourite band.
What immediately struck me about this four-track CD when I first listened to it was the quality of the production.
Five O'Clock Heroes: Bend To The Breaks
Today in chateaux Lewis we open the packaging to discover a wonderful display of thoughtful CD case design.
BigBlu have a talent for melody. Their music is simple, evocative, tuneful and very radio-friendly. The mood is wistful and yearning.
So, they're good enough for John Peel, then. Still, he's not that fussy, is he? Let's face it, an hour of obscure euro punk and you start reaching for Radio 2 before seizures set in half the time - or is that just me?
As the stereo gobbles up its latest shiny donut of musical nourishment, I have to stop it mid-bite to check I've put the right CD in - the resemblance of Protein Shake's opening riff to the chorus of 'Fire' by the Jimi Hendrix Experience is uncanny.
Another American singer songwriter signed up to One Little Indian's roster. The A&R guy there deserves a big pat on the back cos he's backed another winner here.
I've always liked The Primrose as one of Leeds' smaller music venues and I have always managed to catch some good bands there, tonight was no exception.
Against Me!: As the Eternal Cowboy
Against Me! released the best album, in my opinion, of 2002 with their full length debut "Reinventing Axl Rose" with Gainesville luminaries No Idea Records.
Farming Incident: Please leave the state in the toilet in which you would wish to find it
Farming Incident are by far and away the most challenging horse to ride in the Wrath stables. They share none of the immediacy of there stable mates and with good reason.
Girls Aloud: Sound Of The Underground
WAIT! Don't leave just yet. Lets give the girls a chance. Yes everything indicates that you should run screaming from this record.
Quick refresh on Recess. This Recess is not the "grunge Recess" that has been reviewed a couple of times in the live section over the past month or so.
Various Artists: The First Brainwash Compilation
A compilation can be such an artificial exercise, in so much as a collection of songs - of any merit or standard - plucked out and forced together will make an interesting patchwork but won't necessarily give the impression of a considered and unified entity.
Schizo Fun Addict: Atom Spark Hotel
As sensible as it is plain mental, as simplistic as it is complex, as delightfully naïve as it is pure genius.
Entering the barely packed side room at first glance this does not seem like the prime of Switches' domains, stage drab and atmosphere mellow.
The Strokes: First Impressions Of Earth
Everyone knows how the rules of rock and roll go, especially those concerning albums and what happens when the first one you release becomes an instant classic.
The Psychedelic Breakfast: s/t
The Pyschedelic Breakfast charge in where most would fear to tread. They have a very rough grasp of the way that some of the Los Angeles/San Franciso musics sounded nearly 40 years ago, and the sleeve displays a fancy dress appreciation of the basic visual elements of hippy chic.
"It may be hard to pronounce but if you learn it I'm sure you'll find it will pay". And so the confusion starts.
Another five-band line up at Joseph's Well marks another Northern Sound Exposure event. What makes these gigs so enjoyable from my point of view is that the organisers always try to feature new bands and it's the perfect opportunity to check out some of the potential bands of tomorrow.
I swear I'm dreaming... nothing this celestial and beautiful ever happens when I'm awake... Portal's latest sees eleven tracks bleed into one another with hazy, barely conscious waves of ambient synth drones and haunting electronic washes of sound.
Lauren Harris: Calm Before The Storm
'Calm Before The Storm' is that most frustrating of things: an album lavished with effort, polished to within an inch of its life, and with an army of people contributing to each track (five people have a hand in 'Let Us Be') and yet, it's difficult to get excited about this album.
This is very primitive guitar rock with a swagger and attitude that some people are just going to love.
Jack Peat is a fairy. He used to be the drummer in Kram but as they were offered a record contract for one single he bottled out and wanted to focus on University.
Well to say it's my first gig of the year, it's a packed Mixing Tin, and how impressed was I this evening - VERY!
Former Leeds student, and Bootis former, now based in Brighton.
Saving Lenny: Driven To Distraction
On receiving a lovely 7" sized plastic sleeve I eagerly anticipated the smooth black vinyl slipping out into my hand.
One of the most underrated acts to emerge from the same Scottish scene as the likes of Idlewild and (obviously early) Snow Patrol, Seafood, through no fault of their own have just never caught on to the mainstream in a way that their combined talents have always merited.
Biffy Clyro are, inexplicably, one of those bands you're not really allowed to like. All too often dismissed as lowly emo, the Scottish three-piece band have somehow never quite broken in to the mainstream.
The first wave of dance punk hit these shores in 2003. Flown in from New York in the wake of The Strokes, Interpol and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, it was depicted in typical NME fashion as the latest in a long line of movements to descend from the heavens and alter the course of music history.
I eventually got down (taxis eh, only an hour late) to Joseph's Well in time to see Sposh. Rumour has it that before the Sposh set, I'd missed a most excellent opening act called Mahwa.
Parisman @ Woodkirk Valley Country Club
Anyone will tell you that you can't fill a gig in July in Leeds - everyone is on holiday, the students are at home and there are too many festivals.
When faced with the prospect of the unknown I was hesitant on how I would find this album, having no experience of Alabama 3 I had no idea what to expect.
A much-billed single launch beckoned tonight at the Fenton with a joint headline of les Flames! and The Scaramanga Six.
When a band includes ex members of Guns and Roses and the singer from Stone Temple Pilots it is impossible not to draw comparisons between those bands and the new one those members have formed Velvet Revolver.
The 'Well' quickly filled up with sweat, a good turn out. Pat on the back for everyone that turned up, especially the few sporting spiked Mohican's.
As the year comes to an end Vib Gyor can look back and smile. An ever growing international fan base, great reviews, spectacular live shows and even a mention in American magazine Entertainment Weekly and after listening to this latest collection of their work it suggests that 2005 is going to be even better.
Dum Flux opened up the evening in a punk rock fashion. Melodic, energetic but let down by out of time guitars and slightly out of tune vocals.
Gold Chains & Sue Cie @ Joseph's Well
Leeds very nearly embarrassed these two oddball rappers from San Francisco tonight. The pair walked onstage to be greeted by the empty floor of Joseph's Well, apart from three guys leaning against one wall, and myself against another.
The Young Knives: Voices of Animals and Men
On the face of it the casual observer may assume that The Young Knives are just another overnight arrival from The Futureheads' pressing plant, but how wrong they would be.
On our breaks at work we like to play a game. This is known as the 'mini challenge', where the first person to spot a mini in the packed supermarket car park wins.
Various Artists: Fat Northerner Records Volume 2: In The City Edition
5 tracks 5 bands. Showing that Manchester's Fat Northerner are trying to cover plenty of pop bases. I'm trying to imagine myself as one of the lucky ITC delegates sniffing out artists to add to my glittering roster ...
You say nu-metal and I say nu-punk, nu-metal, nu-punk, nu-metal, nu-punk, hey let's call the whole thing off!
Ludwig sound somewhere between Orbital, Boards of Canada, and, well, the rest of the Warp back catalogue to be honest.
The Royal Park Cellars is a fine venue: a PA and sound engineer that rival Joseph's Well, great lighting effects and its own bar.
Upon recent visits to The Vine I must admit to being impressed by the seemingly more coherent approach taken to choosing the line-ups for nights, with what appears to be more consideration given to how compatible bands are both in terms of their musical style and fanbase.
Having arrived at the Well a bit late, I arrived to see the end of the first act, a duo performing what I'd probably call the most traditional set of the evening.
The Checks are one of those extremely rare bands whose musical output is far more advanced than they are in age - put simply, this fresh-faced New Zealand band were in the right place at the right time when talent was being, unequally, handed out.
Explosions in the Sky: The Earth Is Not a Cold Dead Place
Texas guitar band Explosions in the Sky have been building themselves a reputation over a slow-burning three years of intense and single-minded music making.
Chicken Legs Weaver: Street Cleaner EP
Royal Park Cellars' favourite Sheffield band Chicken Legs Weaver are unfeasibly good. Doing research on the band I have turned up virtually nothing.
Capital State: Revolution Thoughts EP
You have to respect Capital State. They just keep coming back at you. Ever since I saw them at Leeds Festival back in 2001, I've been intrigued.
Electric Six @ Brixton Academy (London)
An evening of pure cheesy-student-rock music laced throughout with lyrics befitting the kind of teenage cliché that surfaces so often on title sequences to All American Highschool dramas.
Ryan Shirlow and the Bloody Marys @ Fibbers (York)
I'm starting to feel like a York correspondent for LMS as I stroll down to Fibbers to catch one of Leeds' most talked about bands of the moment.
2003's "Hat Danko" is still one of my favourite New Yorkshire albums. Opening track "Honest Industry" gets at least one play a month even now.
And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead @ LMUSU
Now almost two years since its release, though not dated a single day, "Mistakes & Regrets" is greeted with the loudest roar of the night before even a word is sung as the unmistakable slow melody line builds up into a blast of intense raw energy, a Stateside version of The Cooper Temple Clause's "Panzer Attack" for want of a comparison.
Rilo Kiley: Under The Blacklight
July 2nd 2007: Rilo Kiley's latest single 'The Moneymaker' hits the internet, and all hell breaks loose; it's like the indie apocalypse - who knew fans of America's cutest band could be quite so vicious?
A pretty quiet start to the evening for a Saturday night in Leeds, and bloody cold too, so I was looking for something to warm my cockles.
The Search Map: Tiny Victories EP
Hearing genuinely talented musicians for the first time is something that I experience very rarely. The Tiny Victories EP by The Search Map gave me one such experience.
Lunar Camels @ Hope & Anchor (London)
Around three weeks ago I received, in my capacity as an erstwhile music reviewer, an invitation to something entitled "Lunar Camels".
To say this is only New Adventures' second release (and their second single at that) is impressive. The title track is a slab of radio friendly, uplifting rock with the sort of soaring chorus that would give radio-rock superstars Coldplay and Snow Patrol a run for their money.
Manchester DJ team Future Cut (Iyiola Babalola and Darren Lewis) and singer Jenna G. make up the Un-cut big sales pursuit squad.
Frightened Rabbit: The Midnight Organ Fight
It's been a constant source of wonder why there's been so much fuss made over the perfectly OK Glasvegas this year when another Scottish band released possibly the finest album of 2008 yet escaped the NME's and most everyone else's spotlight.
Due to various factors, I have had this album for quite a while now. This I am pleased about as I have a relationship with this album just as I have with all my albums that I have invested in and, due to this, I feel adequately prepared to review it.
funk soul acid jazz
Various Artists: Across The Pennines IV
Another ATP compilation hits the doormat and, with it comes another predictably unpredictable clutch of northern sparkle.
Stylus are a heavy rock band from Cleckheaton. Their three track demo is available for download from the music section of their website.
Last Night's TV: Know and Love
A well presented 3-track CD with evocative picture sleeve (good photo by Susan Porteous) from Spencer Bayles (vocals and guitars and songs), Owen Marriott (percussion and recording) and Sarah Jones (violin).
Organized by Eddy of Collective Management, tonight's "Annihilation night" gig at the Fenton promised to showcase some of the top metal talent from the local area, as well as one band from further afield.
Ahhh, you can't beat a bit of a shuffle in the late afternoon, and this month Mr. Rob Paul Chapman's showcase again failed to disappoint.
Sounding like a hybrid of The La's accompanied by Beach Boys-esque style vocals The Restaurant open a mixed evening at the Vine in terms of style and quality.
Tupamaros @ Royal Park Cellars
First - an apology to NONE OF THEM KNEW THEY WERE ROBOTS - as I trotted down the steps of The Cellars for this my first "Collective AKA" night, I heard the final chord of their set and saw the singer lie down on the stage.
Guitarist with Icelandic rockers Mínus (pronounced "Meenush") Frosti, has an informal chat with Gavin Miller about touring, singing songs in English and why Iceland is the hip place to be nowadays...
The Incredible String Band @ Hebden Bridge Picture House
"You may have gathered by now that we're a bit of a nostalgia act" quoth Mike Heron after a oddly banterless opening of two ISB classics, "you might say we are our own tribute band", well, yes, but I for one couldn't have asked for anything more.
On a bar-full of chemically dubious sweetiepops and bilious lagers here stands a single malt of geological integrity and permanent joy.
Can the quality of unsigned Leeds bands get any higher? The FutureSound 2000 has certainly opened a lot of people's eyes to the standard of music out there in Leeds, and if you think of the bands that aren't even playing...
Various Artists: The Spills / Piskie Sits - split single
'Ghost of The Day' gets off to a shaky start, with front man Slater slurring his vocals over the sound of a single chord being plucked over and over again.
Jeff Klein: Everybody Loves A Winner
After around Europe with One Little Indian label mate Jesse Malin, this is Jeff Klein's first UK release.
Naïve sounding rockers "Columbia Drive" are Newcastle based, with an international tinge in singer Louise Dal's CV.
I always deem it wise to respect an artist's decision to go solo (rather than ask questions) and especially those who then decide to produce a solo album, all that despair, loss; love and heartbreak in one album must surely be an intense experience to put yourself through?
It is now hard to dispute that the Leeds music scene (the guitar driven part of it at least) is in the rudest health it has been in for quite a while.
A cold, dark and blustery Monday night in Leeds must have seemed like a million miles from Portland, Oregon but The Thermals did everything in their power to warm it up and a half full Joseph's Well was certainly appreciative.
LCD Soundsystem: Sound of Silver
James Murphy is a man who owns lots of records, and judging by the influences present on Sound of Silver, it's clear to see that not only of the size of his record collection is enormous, the quality of it is too.
Brutal Tinkerbell @ New Roscoe
If ever there was a lesson for new bands to learn then Future Sons Of Rome are it. 1) Your singer should never wear sunglasses unless you are playing on the main stage of a festival or have sold out a well lit arena.
"When you're on, yeah you're really fuckin' on!" yells the diminutive Jenny Lewis, singer and guitarist for Rilo Kiley, an odd looking bunch of misfits from the stable of Saddle Creek, the label started by one Conor Oberst and pals.
Captain Wilberforce: Everyone Loves A Villain
This release is quite a confusing listen. The explosive, fuzzy power-pop 'gems' of Captain Wilberforce's previous releases set the tone, with a thoroughly tolerable, bubbly aim to please.
The regular Tiny Cat nights at the Atrium have been going long enough now for them to be considered part of the Leodensian gigging furniture.
On every single table this evening lies a small array of business cards, showing an acoustic guitar with a trilby leaning on its headstock at a jaunty angle - an instantly recognisable trademark of the alter-ego of Tristan Mackay, "The Bedroom Orchestra", one of this evening's acts.
I arrived at The Vine late to see there was a change to the original line-up for the night. Wakefield three-piece Soberskin had conceded their slot third on the bill to open the night.
The Adventures of Loki: Feminine Side
I don't write reviews. I've rarely felt moved enough to bother taking the time to do it, and I categorically do not do pannings.
I've never seen the Mixing Tin so packed midweek, especially for a Monday night! So it looks as though we are in for a treat with the band line up this evening - or so I thought!
Clint Boon Experience @ Cockpit
Tonights support came from the Fuzz Light Years - their name sounding like it might promise Super Furry Animalesque psychedelia.
Another cracking line-up courtesy of the Blue Star boys, this time with a bit of a rockier edge leading to possibly the fullest showcase since Leeds Music Scene maestro Dave Sugden and Joseph's Well manager Karl Baird began the monthly nights back in December 2000.
The world is undoubtedly a better, not to mention considerably more interesting place with The Butterfly in it.
Doubts over Alan McGee's sanity have become commonplace since his surrender of the once-great Creation Records to the likes of Mishka, Kevin Rowlands and the money men at Sony.
Daft Punk @ Wireless Festival 2007
With my usual Sunday morning lie in, and the insistence of a cooked breakfast, I didn't arrive at Harewood House until after 3.30pm; arriving just in time to see Datarock leave the stage.
The Rocket Bar does not look very welcoming to The Old House tonight as they take the stage, fewer than 30 people are in the room watching though this soon changes as the blast through opener Platoon.
Strike Anywhere @ Joseph's Well
It's bloody freezing outside, it's a 5 o'clock kick off and it's nearly 6.30. Nice one Paul, you tit.
When jumping, dancing and causing general musical mischief in the darkened venues of Leeds city centre, the rare spotted Steve Lamacq is a rare beast to sight indeed.
Up first tonight are US based band Five O'Clock Heroes. Perfecting cheerful pop sensibility alongside dirty rock they possess a fiery sound, with each beat of the drum, each bouncy bass line and vocal melody perfectly executed to produce a catchy rock sound.
Wrinkle Neck Mules @ New Roscoe
'Even Jesus Christ could use a little wine' Wrinkle Neck Mules: Big Dipper Have you noticed the flyover approach to Sheepscar?
The Scaramanga Six @ Joseph's Well
Review featured with permission from www.whisperinandhollerin.com Wrath Records are a new label in Leeds, based around 4 bands who have a lot in common.
Bands old and new played to an expectant Warehouse on Sunday, as legendary rock gig 'The Valley' resurrected itself from the ashes.
Various Artists: This Is The New (art/goes/pop sampler)
I love art/goes/pop: they found me when they went looking and proceed to send me top quality compact discs like this little gem which compiles some of their glorious little upstarts onto one disc.
After a week of assaulting the laser on my overworked CD player and my wife's ears through demo offerings from both these bands, I knew, before even walking through the Vine door this was going to be a fantastic showcase.
As ever I'm late, it looks like I've already missed 2 bands and I've already missed the first song from Indicator.
The annual Bright Young Things showcase has been very much like a 'Kinder Surprise' over the last few years - yes you may look back fondly enough, but you'd rather have a 'Fizzy Cola Bottle' (Futuresound competition) or even a 'Flying Saucer' (local band nite at Joseph's Well) because, at the end of the day, while the 'Kinder Egg' promises much, open it up and a crappy toy that you play with for five minutes and then lose down the back of the sofa is all that confronts you.
So I'm wondering where my drunken comrades are and thinking if I'm going to get my coat back from the bag they have before I have to brave it back out into the winter night.
Various Artists: On The Bone Records: Compilation One
Eventually, a compilation release is the logical step in any promoter's relationship with their artists and audience.
Chevron @ McDermotts (Wakefield)
Wandering into McDermotts on Saturday night I noticed that tonight held the promise of music. Four bands whose apparent self-proclaimed musical leanings sounded tempting (if beer mat flyers are to be believed).
Mmmmm it's a bit nippy out! So I took the car, unfortunately the heater took so long to get going I was still cold (going blue actually) when I arrived.
Firstly I would like to begin by giving the woman on the end of the West Yorkshire Metro enquiries line a beating with a stick for knowing nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, about how to get anywhere in Leeds and particularly anywhere involving bus routes 51, 51a, 52, 52a, 53, 56, 74 and 95.
Badly Drawn Boy: Have You Fed the Fish
Badly Drawn Boy's "Have You Fed the Fish" (AKA All Possibilities) is a recording project devoted to two questions: "who is Damon Gough?", and "how can he survive as an aspiring artist in 2002?".
What is a Juma? Well it depends on whom you ask... To some it's a dance riddled drug fuelled monster of funky rock and roll.
The Scaramanga Six @ Leeds Festival 2007
Hadouken! - Radio 1 Stage A heaving tent full of sweat and dubious amounts of day-glow welcomes semi-home-towners Hadouken!.
Duels @ Woodhouse Liberal Club
Dance to the Radio was an event. Is it possible to review an event? Even straight description couldn't get deep enough into the complexities and impossibilities of making such a thing not just happen but happen so brilliantly.
A gig in aid of 'A GOOD CAUSE' eh? (the 'good cause' in question being Wheatfields hospice). Thankfully tonite's gig and the Junction 47 II CD it is designed to promote owe more to the 'Help' album than they do to 'Live Aid' - bringing together genuinely good bands from Leeds to do what they do best - play quality music with scarce a lighter-waving ballad featuring a children's choir in sight...
I'd never been to basement before as I kind of think of it as out of the way, and not somewhere I really want to walk at night, but I saw the note asking for a reviewer, realized it was going to be an electronica based night and then got told I could get into the club afterwards for free, once I had paid for the gig - SOLD!
Youthmovie Soundtrack Strategies @ Leeds Festival 2005
"Hello, we've got a wake-up call for a Mr. Ramsden here. Yes, a bunch of tracksuit wearing oiks are waiting for you on the main stage, they said something about your mother looking for a pianist?".
The memories are hazy, the order of events may not be quite right but I know two things; beer flows freely in The Fav and amazingly it didn't rain, or at least certainly not enough to water down my Sol or to kill any of the musicians on stage.
A generous crowd packed into The Vine on a hot, sweaty and very eclectic night. Though competing with The Blueskins playing at The Cockpit, and the perpetually popular Big Brother finale, tonight's gig was well attended and another success for the team at The Vine - a venue that has fast stamped its foot on the Leeds scene and continues to showcase some of Leeds', and as it turned out tonight, the UK's, best unsigned talent.
In all the years of being a fan this was the first time I saw Marc 'live'. I had seen former associates of his from Vicious Pink some time back.
Andy Roberts heads round to The Somatics' house for a cuppa and a chinwag about their debut platter, local themes canal spotting and how prog will be cool once they release their new album...
The NME brought its Carling Awards tour to Leeds on Tuesday night, meaning the city was buzzing with three different types of music lover.