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PLAYING OUT LOUD!
REVIEWS
Gig Reviews -
CD Album Reviews - CD Single
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Gig Reviews
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ANGRY BADGER RECORDS SHOWCASE NIGHT –
Soul Cellar – Saturday 1st August
 Southampton is a sleeping musical giant. However, with the likes of Julian Aplin
of Angry Badger Records around, it surely won’t be long before the city starts
stirring. With the “Showcase Sett” compilation CD hot off of the press, tonight
sees the 1st of four initial Angry Badger Showcase Nights to be hosted at Soul
Cellar, a more than suitable venue for this venture.
With a strong line up of bands and Amazing Radio’s Xan Phillips, a renowned
champion of local unsigned bands, playing the latest sounds from the region’s
hottest talents, it is little wonder that there is a large and enthusiastic
crowd creating such an expectant and exciting atmosphere tonight.
 Celebrating the release o f their debut 5 track EP through Angry Badger, Moody
Tuesday are in the mood for a party and start the night with an enjoyable set.
Having only been together since January, their raw and upbeat sound gives off
good time vibes and the lads clearly enjoy every minute of being on stage and
pour everything they have into their performance. The uplifting rock of “Living
In Sin” and the indie pop of “Sorry” engrave themselves in the consciousness of
the crowd whilst “Rock N Roll Poser” will be the spine of their set for years to
come. They’re not the finished article by any means but their enthusiasm and
love for what they do gives them more than a fighting chance.
 If there was an award for the hardest working band around, Thinking For Tuesday
could lay a substantial claim to it. All eyes are on frontwoman Karen who is
unquestionably a star in the making. The band are water tight whist she involves
the crowd at any given opportunity. “Slide” is the set’s highlight with its huge
chorus.
After the crunching guitars of the first two acts, Dlugokecki slow things down
with a good natured acoustic set. Performing as a three piece, they’re clearly
revelling in the good time vibes and Ben is taken aback by the crowd singing
along to “Too Many Borders.”
Wrapping up the night in style are The Queue. This band just keep getting
better. Kicking things off with “Top Of The World”, their swaggering rock n roll
sound has the crowd spellbound. “Hurry Up Now” and “Who The Hell Are You?” are
confrontational yet feelgood at the same time, “One Tough Nation” boasts the
finest riff you’ll hear in a long time and “Quarantine” shows that guitarist
Sean Smith’s songwriting is developing at a lightning fast speed.
Tonight is just the start for Julian and the Angry Badger label. The resounding
success of this 1st Showcase Night has set the bar high and the crowd tonight
left Soul Cellar both excited and expectant about the start of a musical wake up
call in Southampton.
The 16 track “Showcase Sett” CD is now available. This compilation includes the
best of the regions unsigned, up and coming talent. For more details, go to
www.angry-badger-records.com. The next Showcase night at Soul Cellar is on
Saturday 19th September with Echo Chamber and Recreation amongst the bands
confirmed to perform live.
Review by Paul Lane.
JURASSIC MARK PRESENTS……
CHARLEY MCAULEY/ECHO CHAMBER/THE NEW 1920 - Talking
Heads – Wednesday 22nd July
 The
regular Jurassic Mark nights at Talking Heads have a habit of unearthing little
known gems and tonight’s line up is almost embarrassingly strong. Boasting
Charley McAuley, fresh from her runners up slot in the UK Live & Unsigned
competition, and Echo Chamber, who went down a storm at The Joiners when
supporting The Rumble Strips in March, this should turn out to be one of those
special occasions.
Opening up for us tonight are The New 1920, a Cardiff/London based four piece
who dish out a hyper performance with no shortage of memorable riffs and
instantly likeable melodies. “Amber Gambler” is the kind of summer rock anthem
that deserves to be turned up to 11 whilst driving with your foot down during a
glorious summers day and “Head For The Exit” builds up nicely to an epic
singalong chorus. The band can be pleased with themselves as they certainly earn
themselves some new fans tonight with the crowd’s appreciation getting louder
and longer after each song.
 It’s
been too long since Echo Chamber have played live. However, having recently
signed to Angry Badger Records and with a new drummer on board, the band come
out of the traps with renewed intent and show they mean business. “We All Fall
For Miles” gets things off to a phenomenal start with frontman and bass player
Chris Moore determined to put on a show. “Rooms Without Windows” shows off the
bands ear for a deft melody whilst the touching “Walk To The Sea” boasts the
bands more reflective side.
“The Hounded” goes down a treat with its unique mix of the punk-ish energy,
atmospheric backing vocals and what can only be described as a ska influenced
climax. It’s a classic song that not many people at Talking Heads tonight will
forget. Dave Belton and Chris Heale are both skilled and energetic guitar
players and new drummer Matt Stanton gives the songs a water tight foundation
for the others to build upon. With a new EP coming out in September and a
healthy number of live dates arranged, it looks like Echo Chamber could at last
go on to fulfil the potential they have always had.
Golden girl Charley McAuley brings the night to close. It is hard to believe
that she is still only 16. With a polished band giving her the platform to show
off her powerful voice, her set is warmly received. Deciding against playing her
own material tonight, Charley delivers passionate versions of Jet’s “Are You
Gonna Be My Girl?” and “Revelry” by Kings Of Leon. The Ting Tings “That’s Not My
Name” also gets the Charley treatment and could have been written for her.
Charley McAuley is a talent and has a big, big future ahead of her. However she
is not the only one tonight who should go on the bigger and better things. Echo
Chamber and The New 1920 also ensured that tonight was a memorable and special
night. Review by Paul Lane.
STOKES BAY FESTIVAL, GOSPORT – FRIDAY &
SUNDAY REVIEWS 31/7/09 & 2/8/09
Oysterband
Over the last few years the Oysterband have become something of festival
specialists and their Friday evening performance at the Stokes Bay Festival was
a set that delighted both hardened fans and those experiencing their very first
taste of the band. The last couple of times I had seen them the Oysters had, by
their own high standards, been a little below par, but from the moment they
opened here with a rousing When I’m Up I Can’t Sit Down one sensed that this was
a band back to its very best.
Of course it’s true that Jones, Telfer and Co are beginning to look a little
long in the tooth these days, a feature underlined somewhat by the addition of a
fresh-faced Dan Donnelly on bass, But Donnelly does offer some distinct
benefits, allowing Chopper the freedom to concentrate on the cello and adding
some extra beef to tracks like the crowd-pleasing Everywhere I Go, a song which
can sometimes lose its impact in an outdoor setting but which here was one
particular highlight. There was little doubt that a great many new friends were
made here, with newer songs like Here Comes The Flood being greeted equally as
keenly as standards like One Green Hill and Blood Wedding. An encore was
inevitable, well deserved and enthusiastically received: Granite Years and Put
Out The Lights sounding as good as they ever did and leaving Friday’s headliners
The Proclaimers with quite an act to follow.
Le Vend Du Nord
Le Vend Du Nord made the longest trip of any act attending the Stokes Bay
Festival, travelling from their homes in Quebec to appear in sunny Gosport and
the Sunday afternoon audience would be most grateful they made the effort. Le
Vend Du Nord’s music is a little hard to classify but is based on a peculiar but
fascinating fusion of Cajun, country and North American folk, the whole thing
charmingly delivered in their native French tongue. Despite, or perhaps because
of the language difference, the audience instantly warmed to this ratchet-tight
4-piece, who are equally adept on guitars, keyboards, squeezebox, hurdy-gurdy
and even wooden clogs, Olivier Demers’ foot-tapping accompanying for his own
fiddle playing being an integral part of the groups sound.
But the best thing of all about Le Vend Du Nord is that here is a bunch of guys
that clearly enjoy what they do greatly, and it’s not long before even the most
seasoned festival-goer found themselves jigging, swaying and wiggling to the
infectious sound of traditional Canadian music, whether the fairy-tale folk of
La Fille Et Les Dragons or the celebratory yell of Vive L’Amour. Despite the
tight schedule it would have been churlish to deny the audience an encore and
the band were only to pleased to oblige before heading, with smiles as wide as
the Atlantic, back to their homeland.
Adrian Edmondson & The Bad Shepherds
Taking pop songs and performing them in a folky style isn’t a new idea but, in
truth, the Bad Shepherds do it well enough. One suspects that the former Young
One is a frustrated wannabe rock star at heart and for this venture he has
wisely assembled a high class set trio of musicians to accompany him, most
notably ex Jethro Tull and Fairport Convention member Martin Allcock on guitar.
Edmondson himself can hold his own on mandolin and, while not the greatest
vocalist in the world his heart is in the right place, these renditions of
seventies and eighties classics being borne from an obvious, deep-rooted love of
punk and new wave. Everything from God Save The Queen to London Calling is
served up here, ouillean pipes and all, and while these versions of Wreckless
Eric’s Whole Wide World and Tom Robinson’s Up Against The Wall might not match
the originals it was still nice to hear them again after all these years. And
one would hardly think of Kraftwerk’s The Model and Talking Heads’ Once In A
Lifetime as folk songs but somehow, in their new setting, they still worked.
Asking around, much of the feedback seemed to be along the lines of ‘Why
bother?’, but in truth this was decent tea-time entertainment for an audience
still breathless from the high-energy folk of Le Vend Du Nord and while I
suspect Edmondson hardly needs the cash from CD sales I suspect a few were
shifted nonetheless.
MADNESS – Broadlands – Saturday 18th
July
 With
so many bands from the 1980s reforming and falling into the nostalgia trap so
easily, it is to Madness’s immense credit that they are still churning out new
material. “The Liberty Of Norton Folgate” is not just any old Madness album
either. This is the sound of a band sounding as fresh and as vibrant as they did
when they were first demanded that we “Don’t Watch That, Watch This!” 30 years
ago. With a London theme running through each song, this is one of the cleverest
and likeable albums of the year.
Madness still retain a widespread appeal and seem to be more popular that they
were when they were regularly bothering the Top 10 of the singles chart and were
almost weekly guests on Top Of The Pops. A wet and grey Broadlands was the scene
of middle class, middle aged couples rubbing shoulders with punks, Mods, ageing
Skinheads and plenty of youngsters, ensuring that the Madness influence will
live on for some time.
The band, looking as sharp as ever in their trademark suits, were greeted with a
rapturous welcome before launching into the ideal party starter, “One Step
Beyond”. However, during “The Prince”, one or two scuffles with flaying fists
all too evident started towards the front of the arena. The whole thing had an
almost horribly inevitable feel about it and did have a detrimental affect on
the atmosphere for a short time. The sad thing is that the people involved
looked old enough to know a lot better. It does beg the question as to how and
why such a brainless and violent minority attach themselves to such a clever and
good time band as Madness.
Aside from that, Madness were as entertaining as ever and proved again they are
very hard to beat as a live act. “Baggy Trousers”, “House Of Fun”, “It Must Be
Love” and “Our House” sounded flawless and polished without ever sacrificing any
of their original energy and fun. The crowd sang and danced along as if their
lives depended on it and the ugliness of the earlier incidents were soon
forgotten about.
The one slight criticism would be that, after releasing such a great album,
Madness only played 4 songs from “…Norton Folgate”. However, this is just being
picky. It is a tiresome phrase that is used when enthusing about Madness but it
is nevertheless a true one. However, The Nutty Boys are a National Treasure.
Long may they reign.
Review by Paul Lane.
CD Album Reviews
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ANDY MACKAY & THE METAPHORS – “London!
Paris! New York! Rome!”
 Roxy
Music’s Andy Mackay is in an enviable position. He has been around the block
enough times now and he is a big enough name to be creatively free enough to be
able to release whatever he feels like. That though does not excuse this
horribly, overlong, self indulgent excuse for an album.
Described as an “instrumental masterpiece”, this horrible waste of everyone’s
time is made up of 6 interpretations of songs that were fine in the first place,
thank you very much. Songs such as “Waterloo Sunset” and “Three Coins In The
Fountain” get the sax driven, over twiddly, mucky jazz treatment in a way that
no song deserves and would surely horrify the original artists.
Roxy’s very own “Love Is The Drug” even gets a dragged through the mud here. It
takes a special kind of ignorance to take a classic glam pop gem and turn it
into a sleep inducing, lifeless dirge. Upon hearing this, you could almost
assume that Mackay didn’t really like being in Roxy Music very much.
This album should surely have been called “Music For Lifts” as that is the only
place you can imagine it being played. Apparently, The Metaphors were a
“lifetime in the making”. What a waste of a life….Review
by Paul Lane.
XS.iF – “The Hip Hop Disciple”
“Please let us have your attention” demands the computer generated introduction
to Yemi Akinpelumi AKA XS.iF’s debut album “The Hip Hop Disciple.” Upon first
listen to this epic album, there really is no need to ask us. The music does
more than enough to hold our attention.
Born in Manchester and raised in Africa and the UK, XS.iF shows off the
diversity of early influences he was exposed to whilst growing up. From The
Commodores to Boney M to The Everly Brothers to LL Cool J, XS.iF has been clever
enough to use all of these to conjure up a sound all of his own.
Lyrically he’s refreshingly positive, even humorous in places especially on the
single “School Of Life”. “Those Were The Days (State Of Hip Hop)” is full of
boundless energy whilst the eeriness of “One Life” provides fantastic balance to
the album.
“The Hip Hop Disciple” is a 22 track opus that is compulsive listening which
recalls De La Soul’s classic album “3 Feet High And Rising”. It is not so much
an album, it is more like a musical journey. No two tracks are the same which
results in an almost exhaustive amount of sounds and genres being explored.
Ending with a skit called “Thanking You” makes you think that it should be the
other way round. We should be thanking XS.iF for making hip hop inspirational
and interesting again. To quote the man himself, watch this space….
Review by Paul Lane.
CD Single Reviews
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BY MARTIN SIRL
‘Tronica by Teen Ammo
Unusual all-instrumental mini-album from indie-rockers Teen Amp. It’s hard to
know how much of this you would want to listen to in one sitting – a mini-album
is probably about right – but every track here is catchy, atmospheric and a
thoroughly enjoyable listen, the last track Domain Game, on which the guitars
and electric piano offset each other perfectly, being a high point. The next
time you are watching TV and hear a killer backing track listen closely because
it might just be Teen Ammo.
Ballerina/The Butterfly by Razor Blade Kisses
Razor Blade Kisses are a Southampton-based female duo who, in appearance at
least, might remind some of eighties popsters Strawberry Switchblade. But
musically any comparisons are unfair. Ballerina is dark, brooding goth-rock with
a haunting string backing that sets it way apart from other offerings of a
similar ilk. The Butterfly is a much more gentle affair featuring some graceful
violin work, and on which the girls pay homage to their Iranian origins with
spoken excerpts from poet Forough Farrokhzad. Heady stuff indeed.
The Sheriff Of Aspen Bay by Cuddly Shark
Boistrous punk from Scotland’s two-boys-and-a-girl outfit rapidly making
a name for themselves south of the border. A short sharp guitar thrash which is
not to everyone’s taste but might ring some bells with anyone who like me, has
the odd Alternative TV single stashed away in their collection. The cover of
Neil Diamond’s Cherry Cherry is silly but fun while the mandolin-laden Cuddly
Jim shows the band have, literally, more strings to their bow. Cuddly Shark’s
reputation will no doubt continue to swell.
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