Brown Brogues @ Bench Lunchtime Live Presents, Manchester, 09/03/2013

Free music, free drinks, free niggles of laughter emerging from those who revel in the knowledge that the band on show today are not usually ones suited to an acoustic set in an art gallery. The band in question are the Brown Brogues a scuzzy reverb sodden garage duo from Wigan and the setting is Bench Live Presents. . . Whilst the set packed with catchy tunes it is clear through the eccentric yelps and howls emerging from singer Mark Vernon that they aren't taking themselves seriously and in these boyish misdemeanor's is a real attraction to the band in the same way one wishes to be included in the humor of an in joke. But as Mark, and drummer Ben Mather, try to fog their nerves with chuckles the strength of the songs is unmissable, where the usual swampy mix makes it difficult to extract lyrics, in the stripped down set they shine through and it is evident that there is a dab hand at work. With one of the more amusing being recent single Don't Touch My Hair, which displays pleas of hair fondler’s to stay away and leave their hair in a narcissistic state of perfection, even after death. The stripped back sound also suited fan favorite Anyone But You allowing Ben to demonstrate a surprisingly delicate falsetto on backing vocals. Although it may have been an odd setting for the duo a strong performance riding on a set of very strong songs hopefully they won't think twice before attempting an event like this again for they appear more diverse than they may think.

Photo by Dom Varden: http://vivalifestyle.co.uk/brown-brogues-do-lunchtime-live/

Mac Demarco "Ode to Viceroy" track review

In a world of contradictions within which “slackers” like the Canadian Mac Demarco can act as functioning human beings we are introduced to his favourite brand of cigarettes by a dedicational tune named Ode to Viceroy. In this musical world which is so saturated with sonnets for smoking weed a nod to cigarettes is wholly unpredicted and existing in an un-paralleled field of one. The song opens with uneasy chords reminiscent of the introduction to Ghost Town by The Specials, if the track in question had its rpm decreased to 1rpm. It soon breathes into life as a sea breeze of a track that seems to hint to surf acts such as Best Coast, well Best Coast if they were endorsed by Marlborough Reds and fronted by a stoned Damon Albarn.  Add a sprinkling influence from King Kruel’s appreciation of obscure chord progressions and you have a humtastic piece of music. In a recent interview with Chart Attack, he discusses the inspiration for the track as a longing for his preferred ciggy’s whilst forcibly dealing with a lesser brand on tour. Whilst I have never experienced said longing, I personally opt for the sweet taste of my ventolin inhalers, this ditty certainly tempts me to trade my desire for asthma attack relief with a viceroy cigarette. Thankfully, I can treat this desire with another spin of this beautifully written Ode to Viceroy by the ever lo-fi scribble of Mac Demarco as he laments his separation to his cigarettes. This article is in no way a promotion of smoking, although the song concerned may very well be.

Listen Here:
http://soundcloud.com/capturedtracks/mac-demarco-ode-to-viceroy

Jagwar Ma "The Throw" track review

Recently Australia has truly shone brightly with stellar releases from DZ Deathrays, Cloud Control, Pond and obviously Tame Impala. Jagwar Ma has taken this baton and has developed an eclectic sound marrying 60's soul vocals with a dance edge evident on earlier release Come Save Me. They have since established themselves as a strong talent. Jagwar Ma, comprising of Gabriel Winterfield and Jono Ma, have continued in this creative vein on The Throw amalgamating dreamy vocals with tie-dye drenched synths that I'm sure is how a lava lamp would sound if its function was hit singles and not blob production. They begin the track with a refrained loop that introduces the optimistic summer feel of the track as an exhuberant guitar line sneaks in that develops into a sound not to dissimilar from how I imagine the rave scene at Manchester's Hacienda nightclub. The song seems to come to a natural close until Jagwar Ma ushers in a break that doesn't stop delivering swells of synths and even though we're far from Summer it certainly feels as though the sun is slightly closer. It won't be long until Jagwar Ma grow from NME darlings into a fixture in anyone's calendar.

Listen now on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/jagwar-ma

Brown Brogues @ Roadhouse, Manchester, 12/1/2013

 

 Scuzzy, reverb drenched and dressed as a pair of slutty sailors, Manchester's very own Brown Brogues take to the stage to launch their new album Born To Lose. The self proclaimed “noise duo” certainly do like to make a racket, with a set so sodden with spikey punk and sludgy blues that John Lydon wouldn't curl a lip at. The garage couplet have adopted a stripped back approach having only guitar and drummer on stage with the drums being only floor tom, snare and ride cymbal, almost as stripped back as the drummer himself flashing the flesh beneath his increasingly hot hot pants. The duo truly seem to give all and invite support band Queer'd Science onto the stage whilst singer Mark Vernon finds his way through the crowd pouring shots into the gaping mouths of the audience. Brown Brogues certainly are a spectacle and something with spontaneity and catchy tunes a plenty certainly evidence that Manchester has a vibrant scene that is certainly thriving underneath its rain strewn streets and all for under a fiver!

Everything Everything "Cough Cough" track review

Cough Cough is the lead single from Manchester's very own Everything Everything's sophmore album Arc (the track and band so good they decided to name twice). The track splutters into life with indecisive lyrics that pave the way for the staggered drums and smooth vocal melodies that blend effortlessly. The thing that is so special and hard to pin down about this band is their capability amalgamate the wonderfully angular with something seductively smooth, which is evident by the bucket load in this recent single with their static guitars, jumpy synth and drums beating their way through your lug holes all within the first 50 seconds but with a truly luxurious chorus. The unity and precision of the band is truly thrilling and when the verse does give way to the spontaneous soaring chorus we are greeted with lyrics of intrigue about personal compromise for profit, “There's something wrong but its okay if we're still getting paid” whistles singer Jonathan Higgins in his canary pitched falsetto. Something also notable is the pallet of atmospheres they draw into the song with the heavy bassline and repetitive lyrics chanted in the bridge making the bliss of the chorus all the more special showing completely dynamic sonic shift from a band who are truly clicking right now. All there is left to say is that hopefully the rest of the album, released on the 14^th of January, will be as interesting and vibrant as this single.

Listen now on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/everythingeverything

Thee Oh Sees "Lupine Dominus" track review

Thee Oh Sees track “Lupine Dominus” requires playing at full volume and directed straight into the inner most sound receptors of the ears. Its snarling garage-psyche with a savage drum beat that inspires gyration in every limb, sounding like a Flaming Lips tune on furious-fast-forward. The track starts with synthesizers at an alarmingly similar frequency to that of a dog whistle, screaming Gothic organs into life with the drums and bass breaking into a steady groove with wraith like vocals echoing and cooing above the fray. The song feels snappy sharp and succinct whilst it also having the sprawling quality of the vocals to add intimacy and depth, and off kilter moments that demand a second, third, fourth and fifth replay etching the song into the brains of its listeners. The track is also beautifully illustrated by a video in a sleazy strip-joint that seems to blend perfectly with the primal destructive urges the song encourages, exhibited in the eyes of the lust fueled revellers which are drawn to the gait of the dancers. Definitely the most exciting and intoxicating song I have heard in a while, truly one to blow the cobwebs out of many a dingy dance-hall.

Listen now on Soundcloud:
https://soundcloud.com/thee-oh-sees

James Blake @ Gorilla, Manchester, 6/12/2012

When discussing James Blake he is oft interlocked with the term innovator and the sold out show at Manchester's recently opened Gorilla demonstrates how many hold him in high regard. Although charismatic would not be the right word to describe Blake, he seems at home and comfortable, although bashful, on the stage and voices how tonight’s date feels like a homecoming. The set-list draws heavily from as of yet unreleased material which continues in the dense piano driven electro from which he has made his name. The performance exhibits a luscious tapestry of sound with bass so inviting that it encompasses the body reverberating around one's rib-cage.  Blake shares his stage with two others, Rob McAndrews providing subtle guitar lines and samples and Ben Assiter sat behind the kit displaying marvelous mastery over his cymbals filling out the acoustic drums with electronic patterns and off beat stutters thrown in. The biggest cheers were reserved for self titled debut album material but as newer songs broke from Blake's auto-tuned crooning into high tempo club filling hits inspiring even the most reserved hipsters to display their finest two-steps. The night came to a close with an encore ending with perhaps his most well known song Wilhelm Scream which is truly phenomenal live stirring rapturous and deserved applause from the crowd. All that is left to be said is that with performers like James Blake around the standards of electronic music is raised considerably and hopefully a new album will be released soon and if the set at Gorilla is anything to go by it will be sublime.