Narrow Minded Social Club

So last night saw the opening of The Rifles very own club night at The Proud Galleries in Camden. This got me thinking about a couple of things - some good, some bad and some just very irritating.

First off, I am a little bemused as to the lack of appreciation that The Rifles receive. I understand the London boys have a little bit of a cult following, which I will get on to later, and both albums have been solid and seriously catchy efforts that reaped little reward - from both the music press and the blogging community.

Perhaps they are a little unadventurous, but there's nothing wrong with consistent, catchy and chirpy guitar music with, lets be honest, fantastic lyrics. People seem to frown at the fact that they're not pushing the experimental boundaries of music, but why should they? Not everyone wants to be Animal Collective. They've got a cocky air of swagger about them and a bit of understated attitude which is healthy for a band like The Rifles.

Maybe it's that reoccurring frivolous attitude from substance-less muso's who base a bands credentials on their clobber rather than their music (God I'm a cliche!) Or maybe I just like them and they're actually not very good at all and i'm just wasting my time writing this blog on a band that I'm deluded by. But hopefully it's not the latter.

But enough about that. More about last night. Three bands in total played the event. The ramshackle Strangeways, the-better-live-than-on-album Jersey Budd and an acoustic set from everyone's two favorite Rifles. The bands were good fun. Jersey Budd is going to be a massive sensation in no time at all. Bluesy, friendly rock 'n' roll fun with foot stompin' riffs and single potential anthems. The Rifles played a corking set showcasing songs from both albums, and a new track, which went down swimmingly. It really is reassuring when a band can play and acoustic set and receive such an involved response from an audience.

Now I don't want to dwell on the acts too much because I could write mindless blubber about them all day, but what i do want to discuss is this counterfeit so-called mod demeanor that regularly swells shows of a "lad-rock" (I hate that term) genre. These deluded punters in their fake Fred Perry's clearly have NO FUCKING IDEA about the mod scene. Apart from watching Quadrophenia too many times, that's where their education ends. The obligatory chants of "we are the mods" make me near sick to my stomach with discontent and vexation, i just don't get it.

Now I'm not too educated on the whole scene, but i know a little. The Mod scene originated from Northern Soul in clubs like Twisted Wheel and the Wigan Casino. Personally I wouldn't class Oasis as a Mod band but many seem insistent on it these days. Mods don't all have Liam Fray haircuts and they certainly don't run around chanting "we are the mods" over and over again in their Gio Goi track tops. And where did that analogy come from? Chuck on a parka and some Ordinary Boys and your now a Mod? piss off. It's misinformed bollocks from people who don't want to fall into the category of being a yob yet they don't want their mates on the building site to think they read Mojo over some discard-able tit rag.

When a scene is based around misleading factors such as this it fails to hold any sort of authenticity, It becomes a bit of a joke fueled by perverted evidence that soils the good name and nature of such an image.


But on the other side I could be wrong. Perhaps the whole Mod image has evolved and developed over the years that it's now transformed from what it used to be into something a lot more modern. I mean, things change, scenes change and people change - perhaps the whole Mod ethic has changed and these crazy drunkards are in fact the Mods of our generation. It just seems strange that the image (because that a primary principle of the scene) has no consistent characteristics. There's no guidelines any more, there's certainly very little passion and there's near-no originality.

I don't know the reasoning for this argument. Perhaps it's just annoyance. Perhaps it's ignorance and I'm an ill-informed scenster who thinks he knows too much and perhaps I'm just a big old fat hypocrite. I just got a little peeved with these chav-turned-mod individuals who used to mock those with a fashionable barnet and a quirky dress sense and now they're soldiers of the scene they once used to criticise.

RANT OVER.

Below is a funky little video from The Rifles with their mate (who's name I don't know) covering Neneh Cherry's 'Buffalo Stance'. Great cover. Proper cockney. Full of attitude - I think i've watched it about twelve times today.

The Crookes "Backstreet Lovers"

This homespun indie-folk skit from The Crookes is a truly uplifting urban-clan collective of acoustic ditties, socially concerned lyrics and lets-all-join-in hand claps. Can it get any better?

After a plug from The Rev on Twitter I decided to check out these shanty-rambling Sheffield folksters, and I was happy I did. The four-piece play chipper acoustic based storytelling songs that are far too educated and witty to be pop, yet far too catchy and carefree to be indie.

By far my favorite track thus far is the sprightly "Backstreet Lovers" that near-perfectly assesses the state of our binge-drinking, drug abusing, careless 'someone else will do it if i don't' nation. There's an ironic romanticism in this song. Somehow The Crookes make this needle-littered backstreet where scummy lovers meet almost enchanting, like some urbanised love affiar - but somehow i don't think that's the message of the song, but interpret it as you will...it's certainly a great song.

I can't get hold of an MP3 because i'm useless on the internet. So i've posted a youtube video below, it's just the audio but that's all you need!



Check them out at:

http://www.myspace.com/thecrookesmusic

Upcoming Events...

Glasto' is eleven days away now. I will be posting reviews and photo's as soon as i can after the festival. Lets just hope it doesn't rain.

Also. I will be going on tour with Chaos Days in July for about two weeks. This will include a daily blog of updates and photos as I follow the pop-punk outfit around the U.K. Should be good fun, if a little out of my depth - not being the most accomplished fan of that music genre.

Broken Records, KOKO, 12th June

Now this is one well formulated, highly educated and superiorly crafted outfit we have here. The multi-instrumentalists that are Broken Records hail from Scotland’s more, well, cultured side of the track I suppose. Their hometown of Edinburgh is best know for it’s illustrious castles’ that cascade the city’s skyline, the distinctly enriching arts festival that inhabits the city for one month of every year and, well, not having such a high rate of knife crime and teenage pregnancy as its sister city that lies at the country’s baseline.

And it’s this fine-wine and prolific literature upbringing that could be responsible for the illustrious outcome of the operatic and diversely anthemic tendencies of Broken Records. As the seven-piece hit the stage at around 12.30am it seems only right that their eerie indie-folk showcases its instrumental unity at the midnight hour.


The bands debut, “Until The World Begins To Part”, encapsulates a variety of musky and marvellous moods with genuine flashes of brilliance throughout that are certainly far from absent in their live recital. Although appearing a minor bleak in parts, it really doesn’t come across as such an affair. The tremendously uplifting “If The News Makes You Sad…” aluminates the ghostly glaze of a band whose mysteriously ironic presence is in fact not what it first appears. They’re chirpy chaps who bob around the stage like restless Arcade Fire offspring,. Their collective rendition of “Lies” is uncanny to its lingering spookiness felt on the record, and as accordion and violin unite in the diverse proceedings its quite clear that their begrimed acoustics are erroneous to the seemingly apocalyptic song-matter.

After around forty five minutes of their organised poetic-ramblings, front man Jamie Sutherland and his bandmates begin to bring the goings-on to a close. And if one thing’s apparent it’s this - the live performance is a well oiled and thoroughly tested friend of Broken records. Where their album had shimmers of intensity and lucid greatness their were also cracks in the sometimes patchily plastered creation, but here it was a different tale altogether. Their ghostly-folk meets indie-opera showed little signs of stagnancy,and when all seven members verbalized as one it shone through with enigma, an undeniable air of atmospheric cultured-rock and an incontestable binding of completeness.

Jack Penate "Everything Is New"

You can hear Jack Penate's new album "Everything is New" online now. NME.com have made the Londoner's second studio effort available at the following address:

http://www.nme.com/news/jack-penate/45281

After pretty much being cast off as a total musical disaster with his first coming, despite the enjoyably demo's that floated around the net before its release, it seems that Jack has come back with a really original effort. Certainly worth a listen!

You wanna be rock 'n' roll? You gotta pay the price...

The highly anticipated release of everyone's favorite aggy Manc's clothing label is now upon us. Oasis front man - the general of swagger, the daddy of rock 'n' roll, Mr Liam Gallagher has picked up the sewing needle, or rather ordered someone else to pick it up, and ventured into the uncompromising realm of fashion.

Gallagher's Pretty Green label is a statement of everything Liam. It's Mr Morning Glory's perception of the rock 'n' roll image that he feels is currently mid-hiatus at this moment in time. "I'm not into the skinny look and pointy shoes," he explained in this month's issue of GQ magazine, "They're just not on - they're for girls" he continued, well what else would you expect of him? And if I'm brutally honest, although sometimes guilty of such "skinny" attire, I do see where he's coming from. The whole music-fashion relationship has become a little tedious, predictable and unimaginative. You only have to wander the streets of Shoreditch to see such scope such suckers and you already get the picture.

With this in mind I was rather excited to see what Gallagher had in store for the lost fashion victims of this nation. I mean, he often looks rather sharp, bar those infamous leopard loafers and what made this even more appealing was big G's zealous approach to his new project - he was as enthusiastic as most had ever seen him - elated on a Vivianne Westwood cloud of creation with rock and roll and fashion in mind.

Then the day of release came. Wannabe mods flocked to the internet like Jacko round a stray child. With demand to get on the site so epic Gallagher's people even had trouble logging on to see what paisley treats were in store. "I'm on!" they cried... "Oh...that's it? that's really it is it? Well that was a waste of time...."

After expecting to see a selection of eclectic threads that filled that missing mod-like gap in the fashion world I was greeted by a small handful of items that are simply Primark products with a "Pretty Green" label and a heafty price tag. For someone who wanted to created clothing that his fans would want to wear I'm a little bemused as to how he thinks that £110 for a windbreaker jacket is acceptable. The fundamental foundations behind Gallagher's creations are simple - get a plain item of clothing and slap a logo on it. It looked like there was very little thought that went into this range of clothing, where's the attitude?, where's the swagger?, and where's the originality?

And then, it got worse. A double page spread in the June/July is of GQ saw Gallagher expand on his...collection? A tweet jacket, a Cashmere overcoat, jeans and a number of shirts all appeared in the article, and you know what? they look pretty darn cool. They really epitomise what was expected of Mr G - stylish, of high quality and uber-cool. But then came shock number two. £185 for a pair of Desert Boots...huh? £450 for a jacket...You what? Is this some sort of sick joke? Now unless your income resembles that of rock royalty or your some sort of elite socialite you're going to have problems forking out half a grand for a jacket.

I'm not writing this from the point of view of some sort of tight-pocketed money grabbing stinge-bag, I'm just being realistic. I've spent considerable amounts on the odd garment before, but this is some Vogue-esqe Harrods-shit. How does a supposed working-class man of the people expect his adoring fans to follow suit and purchase one of these items? well that's beside me. I wont go into whether he needs the money, because apparently he said he's not doing it for that, so i will leave it at that - and up to the imagination - why of why Mr Gallagher. As he said though, I suppose he's got a wardrobe out of it.

I guess he'll be seeing sheep in skinny jeans and pointy shoes for a little bit longer.

And The Forecast is...

I would imagine that most music fans know by now that Jack White has a problem with staying in one place for too long. The White Stripes and The Raconteurs both attested that the outlandish Detroit misfit was an honorable talent with nearly endless capabilities of really producing some seminal musical commodities - not that we really needed confirmation, but anyway...

Next on his list was another new band - this time with Alison Mosshart (The Kills), Dean Feritita (Queens Of The Stone Age) and fellow Raconteur Jack Lawrence. Since March 2009 there's been a blog-heavy response to what could be quite an eclectic musical exploration as Dead Weather get set to release their debut album this July.

There's currently a handful of songs bobbing around various blogs which have given us a taste of what we can expect. And to be honest, I'm not over whelmed by what could have possibly been an oddball-super group of great notability. Musically it's certainly momentous - gargantuan grubby riffs and filth-fueled garbage-grunge can never be underestimated when Mr White's behind the guitar, but he's not really taken a step forward, he just seems to be standing in the same place - to me it just seems like the White Stripes got a little heavier and recruited a couple more members.

White's certainly a bit of a revolutionary in this day and age though, he never fails to make an organised racket that's both poetic and chaotic, but perhaps Dead Weather are a little to cozy here - Anyhow, in retrospect, I've only heard three songs, so I could be eating my words and appologising very very soon so I will focus on the positives...

Mosshart's vocals are top-notch. Glazed in a scuzzy gloom that fixes her firmly in the running for Queen of grunge, it's a celebration of togetherness with her and White who, it has to be said, go together like cheese and biscuits. Perfecto! Let's just see if the eccentric wonder-boy can pull the punches and switch it up with the debut due out on July 14th - "Horehound".

Jamie T - "Sticks 'n' Stones e.p"

Mr T's new four-track e.p is to be released on 29/06/2009 on Virgin Records - soon to be followed up by his second full-length studio effort later in the year...


The rapid musical express train of Jamie T's debut had the public near-rapping their way through the trials and tribulations of "Panic Prevention" with everyone's favorite metropolitan minstrel. Its filthy urban-pirate mentality was about as gutter as it gets. Anecdotes of cider swigging youths and throwaway tarnished tarts proved to fill a gap in which T's urbanised-indie sat rather comfortably - The only worry was, would the Wimbledon ragamuffin be able to come up with something just as innovative, grimey and groundbreaking as his first-coming?

Giveaways to whether or not Jamie had altered his direction were slim and mostly absent - he's been a little quiet as of lately and other than the early release of "Sticks 'n' Stones", that graced the net at various qualities, we were left a bit bemused as to what the audacious young chap had up his sleeve.

Thankfully it's tip-top first-class news. From beatnik desirous acoustic busks to seedy ska palpitations; it's evident that in just four-tracks he's got it all firmly covered. After the gritty punk-punch of "Sticks 'n' Stones" and it's overwhelmingly authentic street credentials, T soon switches his reckless, rowdy mannerisms around as he commences a four-minute ditty of discontent and dismay in "St Christopher". Lost souls and discarded individuals have appeared in T's chants before but never has it seemed so honest. Backed by an electric guitar and little else it's a confirmation of progression in both musical and mental maturity that states a paramount sense of development for the mix-tape madman.

"On The Green" could be conceived as a bit more typical of the bass-bully. A rustic acoustic skit with a sack-full of accomplished lyrics that concrete themselves flawlessly to the backbone of this city-soul hoodie-folk composition. And as regular as clock work, his poetic ramblings lodge themselves into your lyrical mind-book with countless catchy lines and fetching croons. "I've got angles/ Knocking at my door/ Whispering sweet nothing/ and I scream I can't take it anymore!" he yelps. And it’s clear that this affair is no longer such a juvenile and booze fuelled proceeding with the Pacemaker skipper, more of a ripened cultivation from someone who’s clearly grown up in the past two years.

But the principle problem here is it's all happened so quickly! After around twelve minutes this amalgamation of impeccable swoons is kaput. A varied selection of what's to come has solidified ideas behind what's next for Jamie, but not before "The Dance Of Young Professionals" terminates the eclectic ceremonies. A truly scurvy ridden jive upon the city-sea that Jamie T has created from various squeaky-ska blasts and beat bombardments - He even remarks a certain pirate-loving beverage that authenticates this absolutely ragged product of future greatness. Arrrr!

Girl Power...

So I read this article on the internet today that ranted and raved about the level of up and coming female artists currently cascading the inide music scene. The likes of Kate Nash, Adele, Beth Ditto, La Roux (Don't quite get that one yet), Little Boots (Yep, a little unsure about that aswell), and obviously the best debut from a female in the noughties, Laura Marling. So I was thinking, why when these female-singer-song writer articles appear do these people fail to mention Cat Power.

After extensive listening I believe that this Lady of the voicebox is possibly the greatest female singer alive today. Her paramount projection is abounding with illusive tones that the likes of GaGa and Spears can only muster up in their drug induced dreams as they're put to sleep by their shrink or potentially non compos mentis celebrity lovers. And more importantly, before the La Roux fan club bombard me with resistive Roux remarks, there's an unblemished beauty to the voice of Cat Power that needs NO, that's right. NO technological assistance.

And after reading today's issue of The London Paper and it's dedication to Boyle and Leona Lewis etc. I was even more peeved. Don't get me wrong, the Susan Boyle story is certainly a bit of a fairytale come true - and best of luck to the woman, but when it comes to other more generic reality competition winners it seems like the press and the producers are making stars out of mediocre morons whose chart derby dullard ambitions are soiling the airwaves even more than they already are! I think the X Factor contestants, and winners for that matter, can all now hang their heads in shame and realise that their oh-so important auditions in which they envisaged their worthless, piss-poor musical dreams whilst reciting their various sob-stories means fuck all when this chicks about.

And to celebrate this post that clearly no one will read, I'm going to upload a cover from Miss Power of Otis Reading's "I've been loving you too long." Enjoy.

Download Cat Power - I've Been Loving You Too Long

The Political Uprising with Jon 'The Rev' McClure

So my old man's been a little bit of a political pest in the last week or so what the the current state of the Government and the exposure of our corrupt MPs. "Today is the day it's all going to change..." he rambles on, "They're going to be uncovered for the money grabbing fabricators that they are..." he continued. And at first, as per usual, i nodded and agreed with the bloke. But as per usual, experienced has prevailed and it turns out this country is mid way through a political crisis, time for a change.


A man who's recently been at the heart of discussions regarding this circumstance is none other than Reverend and the Makers Jon McClure. Even if you hate the band, you can't deny that this avant-garde pioneer has had his finger firmly on the button for a few years now. And what with the release of his forthcoming album "A French Kiss In Chaos" on its way, the Sheffield-Che has purposely leaked his own anti-BNP song to the masses. So it's time for a good old fashioned riot on the streets! Get the powers-that-be out of their ivory towers, topple over their Bentley's and fuck the system just like its been fucking us!

DOWNLOAD:

Download Reverend and The Makers - The People Shapers

Fuck Your Glad Rags and Fuck Your Scene

This Friday I am off to Club NME at Koko in Camden to blog about the show for nme.com. This got me thinking a bit about the whole indie-disco scene, especially in the country's capital - A city of self-proclaimed musical genius and apparent uber-cool American Apparel clad individuals.

If a little naive and possible slightly idealistic, i've got to say that i don't really get the whole London thing. My experiences have involved fashion conscious muso's whose stiff-necked ethos involves glazed over peepers that bluntly stare at all those who don a remotely successful band on their t-shirt, obscurely dressed Brick Lane vampires who believe Richard Ashcroft is the devil and belligerent repellent trendies who drink port and listen to obscure folk-trance made by Eskimo's on the carcasses of dead seals.

It just seems that there's an unforgiving demeanor swirling the big "L" these days. Since when was it "cool" to disregard bands like Oasis (And believe me i hate the whole lad-rock, football hooligan, piss throwing chumps that attend the gigs as well!) and, wait for the tirade of abuse!, the Arctic's. Because let's be honest people. If there's one person who's changed music in the last ten years it is Mr Alex Turner - so why shun the Sheffield wonder-boys? because they're yet to use a synth?

There's an antagonistic disposition among these faux-musical swill merchants who are so against the mainstream, so against the pros of indie music and oh so against anything with the slightest dribble success. It's like, "I have this record. It's illegal here. It was made in Beirut and it's only eight seconds long - oh did i mention it's on cassette? well it is, and because i know this I'm better than you." (Admittedly this was slightly pinched from a certain Mr Fray, but you get the idea.)

I'm pretty open-minded with this music lark - my tastes range to most genres, those of which i will refrain from listing because I know how the world loves to hate. And although this blog may resemble a Jon McClure ethical stance of music can save the world blah blah I love the Gallagher's blah blah NME love me, and so on...that's not the case. I just get angry at the style-over-substance myspace moguls who grace the independent club nights of the country. (And to be honest, I think Jon McClure's got his head screwed on when it comes to this topic)



(Assholes like the one above are partly responsible for this degrading imagery.)

Although it may be considered a little uncool I've got to say, if this is the future of the music fan then we need more people like McClure, Turner and dare i say it, Corbin (www.myspace.com/newstreetadventure) who actually comment on these social conflicts and musical negatives. The world has become divided from such occurrences and opinion crafters, and that's a damn shame - so if you can't beat them, what do you do? You fuck them over...

Out of date? yes. Played out? Probably so. Relevant? Fo' Sure. "Fake Tales of San Fransisco" is probably the best way of getting my point across as my writing blows. So i will let Turner to the talking...A lyrical wonderment and an expression of cultural disbelief regarding wank bands, trilby draped fuck-nuts and suburban slags from middle class families who pose as revolutionary rockstars. A reet beaut!



I doubt this made any sense...

The Gaslight Anthem - "Great Expectations" Acoustic

Having only recently got into Gaslight (When '59 Sound came out)I feel that maybe I missed out a little on the early buzz that followed them around with "Sink or Swim", but who cares about that. Now I'm involved and there's nothing you can do about it!

Labeled as perhaps the spawn of Springsteen, these working class heroes change their telecasters for a wee acoustic fondle with this acoustic rendition of "Great Expectations", the opener on '59 sound. Perhaps it's just me, but does love, loss and small town angst sound a little more nostalgic under the tinkle of an acoustic guitar?

The congealed husk of Brian Fallon's purr sounds incredibly patriotic on this track without adhering to any over-the-top "Go Go America" cliches. He can certainly pen a lovable anthem and I think it's time the world stood up and listened to the stories this this man has to tell, they strive sincerely close to the perfect American Rock and Roll anthem.

New Jay Z Track

The greatest rapper alive has released an aggy response to all those to endorse the technological advancement that is auto-tune. A function that assists the voices of recording artists in order to keep them in tune.

With the likes of Lady GaGa etc. adhering to such a function it seems the real talent has had enough! time to rebel! Here Jay Z has once again penned a lyrically diverse, and if slightly self-proclaimed, brilliantly heavy response to all those popstar money-moguls who's talentless selves are raking in the dollar without even really being able to sing.

Jamie T is back! - New song "Sticks 'n' Stones" from his forthcoming e.p

The bass-brandishing Wimbledon troubadour is back on our stereos with his forthcoming e.p, "Stick 'n' Stones" that will be available from 29/06/2009. Included in this four track CD/ 12" is the scuzzy urchin-rap of the title track, "Stick 'n' Stones". Watch the video of Mr T and his cronies below. Although a slightly bold statement, and perhaps a little early to tell, it could very well be one of his greatest accomplishments thus far.