Downhill From Here

Here it is, another slice of 21st Century Mod Rock that’s as tight as Darron J. Connet’s trousers and as sharp as his hair! Its been over a year since The “Toubs” released the fantastic Sooner The Better EP (also reviewed on this blog) and they’ve certainly been busy since performing the length and breadth of the country and writing this latest offering. A VERY successful launch party at The Birds Nest in Deptford with a supporting cast that included a stripped down version DFH favourites The Broxton Hundred, Stone Thieves, Darling Boy and The Repeat Offenders. Undoubtedly The Last Of The Troubadours stole the show featuring debuts for bassist Daniel Smith (replacing Rob Pyne who has transferred to The Rifles with the best wishes of TLOTT) and guitarist Tony Marshall who brought his own private fan army with him, to say the place was rocking would be an understatement. The mission of the day was to get my grubby mitts on the new ep, which thankfully I remembered to do after 8 hours on the pop!

Kicking off, Tonight comes at you like a train, literally, shades of, arguably, The Jam’s finest moment with some ethereal strings that lull you in gently until POW! The percussion kicks in, the guitars go into overload and DJC’s unmistakable sneer fills your ears. As usual the shared vocal between Darron and Joel Rogers works supremely well, a growl and a sneer in perfect harmony. It thunders along, a proper rock n’ roll record with a killer chorus it feels like you kind of need the break at the end before the message that something’s got to change is battered into your brain.

If the opening of Tonight was The Jam, then the intro to Never Forgive You is pure Style Council, chopped funk guitar with a relentless Northern Soul beat that continues throughout the song. The musicianship is tighter than a gnats chuff, changing pace, stopping and re-starting with timing as inch perfect as the turn up on a pair of Levi’s. With Steve Diggle (of The Buzzcocks) adding a rather bloody good guitar solo (and a few Wow’s) this is a track of great scope and I’m sure was a hot contender for the lead song on the ep.

Title Track Don’t Stand On Shadows is another relentless barrage of clipped chords reverberating from Joel’s guitar, there’s definitely a change to the sound of this group since the last ep, a more crunchy, punchy sound with more than a liberal sprinkling of funk chops. Again the shared vocal works a treat, Darron and Joels voices are completely different but completely complimentary at the same time. I love the piano in this song, the single repeating chord reminds me of The Who’s 5:15, and that’s never a bad thing!

Shame On You starts off sounding like Editors’ Bricks & Mortar, a gentle electro beat before another huge chord blows your eardrums. A slower track that shows a different side to Joels normally gruff vocals. The electro feel winds it’s way in and out of the record throughout adding an almost psychedelic aspect to parts of the song. Not to the chorus though, it’s pure glam and immediately memorable! The stripped down bass and drum break is clean, neat, perfectly placed and perfectly paced.

Now, bear with me here, One To Blame has shades of The Foo Fighters in its intro, just Joel’s voice, a slightly distorted guitar playing  jangly chords and some winsome lyrics, but when the rest of the band join, it turns into a wholesome sounding summer sunshine of a song. It’s bright and airy, and completely at odds with the heavy lyric subject! A great closer that certainly left me wanting more!

What next for The Last Of The Troubadours, well tonight (Friday 17th May) they play the Cool Britannia club night at The Fiddlers Elbow in Camden, their last London date for a while, after that it’s on to play with The Stone Roses, Miles Kane and Paul Weller at the Isle Of Wight Festival, where I’m sure they’ll win over a whole new group of fans. With plans for a tour of the North and the South coast and a few songs “in the cannon” for their debut full length album, these are exciting times for The Last Of The Troubadours, and if you’re not going to be part of it, then shame on you!

Don’t Stand On Shadows is available from iTunes and via The Last Of The Troubadours Facebook page.

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Summer Folk Riot is the second single to be released from Louth’s own Robots Found Errors’ second album Soundtrack To A Fight. It’s less of a riot and more of a 1968 San Francisco love in, 3 minutes of gently lilting, multi layered sound that brings the sun into your soul. Conjuring images of deserts, cacti and for some reason a sad, thirsty horse, maybe it’s reminding me of America’s Horse With No Name, who knows, there’s so much going on. There’s a Beatlesey (is that even a word?) riff, there’s parts that reek of mystic spice, there’s an almost hidden lyric that is almost whispering to your sub-concious, it’s that subtle. It’s the sound of wide open spaces, lazy afternoons just watching the world go by, the thoughts of nothing that fill your head. Maybe I was wrong, maybe it IS a riot of summer. Well played chaps, well played indeed.

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Hailing from “The Golden Triangle” of Aylesbury, Dunstable and Northampton The Repeat Offenders were formed in 2011 and have been continuously writing and performing ever since. They’s toured up and down the country playing some of the most illustrious venues around including the world famous Cavern Club in Liverpool and The Factory in Manchester, they have also supported The Rifles at a sold out show.

Their first release was an EP called Frame Of Mind in May last year, which has unfortunately passed your reviewer by, but rest assured I shall be attempting to get my grubby little mitts on a copy, which was followed by an acoustic version to tie in with supporting The Rifles at one of their acoustic gigs.

This year has seen the release of their first two singles proper and they are what I’m here to tell you all about my little lammikins.

Beg, Steal or Borrow was released on the 18th March 2013 and kicks off with a riff very reminiscent of The Rifles’ Peace And Quiet (I guess the clue is in the name) and carries on in the same vein, Riflesesque would be an understatement but bloody hell it sounds good! Fresh! New! Sharp! Andrew Ruddick’s vocals are real, the lyrics are real with an instant crowd pleasing sing along chorus. The riff incessantly pounds into your psyche, the sparse keys are perfectly placed but more deft than you realise on first listen. Graham Holmes and Steve Knock’s rhythm section work their way into the mix and the wail of Newt Putt’s lead guitar sits like a cherry on top of a big mod cake. A rough diamond of a track, lyrically and musically on the money, this is one of my favourite releases of the year so far. If you like The Rifles, The Strokes, Oasis, Weller, T’Arctics et al you’ll love this track as much as I do!

This was followed on 6th of may by second single What Happens?

Am I too old for angsty songs reeking of self doubt and pity? Nah, I don’t think anyone is, ever, pain is at the very heart of music, that’s what gives it soul, that’s what makes your heart beat that little bit faster - knowing what it feels like. This distorted, shambolic, echo filled song is the sound of a desperate heart giving itself a little talking to, a bit like Vincent Vega at Mrs Mia Wallace’s house, but not quite as smooth. The crackling voclas work as do the 3 million layers of guitar and the steady, unbreaking hearts-pace drumbeat. It reminds my of a hundred, late 80’s indie bands and there’s definitley a Smiths/Wedding present “feel” to it. It proves that The Repeat Offenders are more than a Rifles tribute band, they’ve got their own sound, they’ve got there own tunes and man, they’ve got a future!

So jog on down to your local iTunes store and get yourself involved, and remember, you don’t have to beg, steal or borrow you can just buy for the bargain price of 79 English pence.

Find out more here:-

https://www.facebook.com/therepeatoffendersmuzic

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https://soundcloud.com/therepeatoffendersmusic

http://www.therepeatoffenders.co.uk/

An intro that reminds me of The Jam’s Dreams Of Children/All Mod Cons/Dream Time before jumping forward 10 years into a Stone Roses Waterfall homage and the next 3 minutes are looking bright!

Conjuring up a time before that horrible “Britpop” tag was dreamed up by some guy with a surplus of Fred Perry’s and Adidas Gazelles, when your new music was found on the free cassettes that came with the (still credible then, honest) NME, Melody Maker and the often forgotten, short lived, Rage!

A time when tops with hoods were worn without an ankle tag, and even if ankle tags were around you’d never have seen them under the acres of Naf Naf denim floating around your ankles, nearly covering your navy Kickers.

That marvellous moment when the guitar and dance worlds collided and suddenly indie records were danceable, fun, uplifting, the shackles of The Smiths had finally been broken by the new Manchester (NO! Never Mad!) bands, you can hear them all in this single, especially The Stone Roses, Inspiral Carpets and a big nod to The Charlatans (the only ones still consistently and regularly releasing new material of a high standard).

I seem to have got a little distracted there, what I’m trying to say is this record sounds like you know it, like you’ve always known it. It rocks. It rolls. It soars. It dives. The vocals sit on top intricate guitars, harmonising with the delicate fretwork. Mani-ish bass has that dipping and peaking sound so familiar and married inextricably to the drums. A whopping guitar solo raises the song to higher levels towards the end leaving you breathless and gasping before ending with more sound effects (affects) and a gentle lullaby of a riff.

For a band as far away from Manchester as its possible to get in England, Southampton, John Waghorn (Lead Guitar & Vox), Josh Butcher (Rhythm Guitar & B-Vox), Daniel Martin (Bass) and John Martin (Skins) have certainly captured the feeling of that city at that time.

A top quality release that improves with every listen, get on it!

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Snake Charmer opens this début ep with disorientating guitars and swirling drums before kicking in with a dirty, sleazy, fuzz filled riff, it’s like listening to The Doors rutting with Nirvana! It’s a song  that demands to be listened to, a filth laden opener that get’s the juices flowing!

Up next is Rosalene which, like Snake Charmer, has a mid 90’s feel to it, the vocal is very definitely reminiscent of Gary Stringer of Reef. I like it, it’s catchy and a good foil for the brutality of the opening track. It feels like the West Coast. The West Coast of Hoxton. Although the vocal does struggle on occasions it doesn’t take away from the enjoyment of the track.

Itchy Fingers is a Stones-a-like Rn’B workout that will get your heart a-pumpin’ and your feet a-jumpin’. Doused in the great tradition of the quintessentially English take on the electrified sound of American Blues it drips with a vicious vigour and raw energy.

Title track New Mexico is an altogether different beast, gentle and alluring, sucking you in with a lilting guitar and easy vocal harking back to a different time, to summer and sun and a canyon filled American wilderness. A song that shows just what these boys are capable of, well crafted and layered with imagery, the addition of a keyboard adds a different depth from the rest of the release.

Aaron Gardners’ vocals are gritty and earthy and entirely believable, but sometimes maybe a little less soul would work as well, a whisper can be louder than a scream! His guitar work is both effortlessly beguiling and as subtle as a kick in the teeth, clanging and crashing where it needs to. Tom Reynolds’ bass fills your gut with goodness, warm, round and filling in all the gaps nicely. All this is held together by the relentless pounding (ooh matron!) of Paul Archbold who keeps everything moving along nicely, not over elaborate or showy, just keeping the beat!

I saw Stone Thieves live late last year in Islington at Mis-Shapes club, and these guys have style in spades! They walk it like they talk it. They play with an unforgiving energy, they play loudly, they enthral you. It’s nearly impossible to keep your feet still or your eyes off Aaron as he pours the very core of himself into the microphone whilst seemingly wrestling his guitar into submission.

Stone Thieves are an exciting band with an exciting future ahead if they carry on in this vein. Get your grubby mitts on the ep which will be available soon and let your feet take you to one of their upcoming gigs to be part of if!

Believe In The Thieves!

Twitter : @StoneThieves

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Soundcloud : www.soundcloud.com/stonethieves

The Fiddlers Elbow in Camden, sort of, was where we headed last Friday to support this ever growing club night promoting the new old sounds of Baggymod!

There were 4 bands on the bill, The Theme, The Capers, Welcome Pariah and This Modern Youth. Unfortunately This Modern Youth dropped out and the other bands gamely played elongated sets to make up the deficit. In-between the bands the Cool Britannia DJ’s span some great tracks from The Rolling Stones to The Stone Roses and all points between.

A sizeable crowd had duly handed over their fiver’s and were eagerly awaiting The Theme to take the stage, the casual mods were out in force and you could barely move for feather-cuts and parkas besieging the bar. The Theme appeared to warm applause and launched into, what I first thought was going to be a cover of The Who’s Won’t Get Fooled again, possibly the loudest set I have ever heard. The crowd couldn’t hear the singer, the band could only hear the keys, and seemingly between every song somebody else needed their instrument to be “turned up a bit”. They carried on valiantly with there ‘78/’79 revival sound, conjuring up images of Secret Affair and The Chords. I’ve heard their songs on the ‘net before and was impressed, unfortunately after everyone had got their instruments turned up to eleven and the PA began to smoke, I couldn’t make out what was going on. The band seemed to be playing against each other, like a jazz ensemble all trying to outdo each other, with the last song having 74 endings as each member tried to have the last word. I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt and try to catch them again, we’ll pin this one on the sound-man, eh lads?

Some more Baggymod on the decks as the stage was cleared in readiness for the Capers, and the hapless sound-man ran ‘round like the proverbial blue arsed trying to work out what the chuff had just happened! More beers were sunk and tweeters greeted and before we knew it The Capers were plying there British Beat Sound to a slightly underpopulated room. Now I’ve got a lot of time for The Capers, they are good guys who write good songs, my one sticking point is that I wish they’d decide on an image! The guitarist in Lennon cool gear, the singer suited and booted, the drummer straight out of Madness and the bass player came as a primary school teacher! Rattling through their set that wouldn’t have sounded out of place in 1964, the crowd were polite without going over the top and the band would’ve benefited from getting them to move nearer! I don’t know what magic wand the sound-man waved but this was a huge improvement on my delicate lobes, maybe I was wrong about the previous band….time will tell! Definitely the best I’ve seen these guys play, very tight indeed and I look forward to crossing paths with them again soon….Ready Steady Go Now, Steady Go Now…..

Time for a couple more beers and a listen to the aural delights being plied to the gathered throng while Welcome Pariah set up there gear. This was the first I’ve heard of this band, even now I keep having to check my notes for their name, which is without doubt the worst thing about this band! Their sound is firmly ensconced in the early 90’s and they clearly draw influences from The Charlatans and The La’s et al without being a pastiche or tribute band. Driving beats and solid guitar work topped with a cracking vocal, all held together with THAT Rickenbacker bass sound. There are echoes of Ocean Colour Scene, early Oasis,a bit of Blur and some Cast in there and they all mix together to produce something that is instantly familiar. This is a band I will be keeping my eye on, as should you!

The night ended with a few of us hardened souls that were left to hit the dance-floor and throw some shapes and a good sing song to some ‘90’s classics. A great night all in all only marred by occasional sound problems and a distinct lack of support! So get off your arses, put your best Liam swagger on and join in the Cool Britannia revolution that is Baggymod.

Find Cool Britannia on Facebook and follow @CBritweets on Twitter for details of when the next happenings erm…. happening…..

What a contrast the interior of Bush Hall is to the area it’s situated in. All chandeliers and plaster mouldings, floor to ceiling mirrors and purple lights oozing Victorian opulence. Full to the brim when we arrived having arrived, as is our want, after the opening band had been on, but in time to weedle our way to the front to see Sundowners.

The flowers draped around the microphone stands gave a false impression of what was to follow. The quintet comprising of Fiona Skelly, Niamh Rowe, Alfie Skelly,  Tim Cunningham and Jim Shamrock reminded me of Fleetwood Mac, I thought that this was a lazy comparison based on looks alone but when they began to play new single Hummingbird, the sound was comparable to Mac too! A ballsy, bluesy set followed, hints of country thrown in mixed with Tom Petty-like americana delivered in Liverpool style, is Liverpoolana a genre? Maybe it should be. Fiona and Niamh’s voices soared, lilted, pleaded and captivated and Alfie’s guitar work was steeped in Peter Green blues with gurning to match. A very good sound that, if I’m honest completely surprised me, well worth checking out!

When Ian Skelly’s band, dubbed The Serpent Power came on, and on, and on, and on, the crowd, already “In the zone” after Sundowners audibly lifted, and certainly showed that the Cut From A Star album is a definite hit with them. I was slightly apprehensive of how this ethereal, light as air album would convert to a live show, but I really needn’t have worried! From opening track Cut From A Star, with the girls from Sundowners to closer The Byrds’ Mr. Spaceman, The Serpent Power led by the shaggy haired Skelly, soared and dived, they rocked when they needed too, and they knew when to be quiet!

 Danny Murphy (who looked about 12!) was absolute class on lead  guitar, Nick Powers’ keys kept the psyche flowing nicely and Jack Prince on percussion was forever diving in his little box of bits to add to the sound. Ian Skelly’s voice was strong and clear, and his wit was in evidence with the crowd banter between songs. It became a family affair with Fiona joining Ian and big brother James on stage to sing backing vocals on Firebird, shame there wasn’t room for Alfie too but with 9 on stage already it would’ve been a squeeze! Niamh also added her voice to Time and I See You.  Ian, James and bassist Paul Duffy were having a Coral re-union on the right hand of the stage and were clearly enjoying playing together, especially the more rocky closing to some songs. The choice to cover The Byrds’ Mr. Spaceman was inspired, it could have been lifted straight from the album, a fantastic version that ended the set on a sing-a-long high.

All in all it was a stellar performance, the band were obviously highly drilled and completely in tune with Ian’s vision of sound, tight and compact yet free and roaming too, a tough trick to pull off, but they did. 

A psych-ey, bluesy, hippy-ey, sometimes poppy trip around the universe was experienced by all with the captain of the trip certainly being Cut From A Star for tonight.

Ian Skelly’s Cut From A Star is available now, you can follow him on twitter @IanSkelly1 and find him on Facebook

The Sundowners single Hummingbird is available from their Facebook page.

The Venue has been hosting the best, and worst, new bands for over 30 years.  Blur, Suede, Manics, Pulp and Coldplay are just a few of the bands that have made appearances on the breeze block stage in this temple of music. So, dear reader, it is with heavy heart that I tell you that The Bull & Gate/The Venue will soon be closing to become a “gastro pup” otherwise known as “Wetherspoons”. Now I could go into a tirade about history and the death of live music, the continued slow, painful passing of the pub in general, but I won’t, you know all that already, so I’ll just say it’s a shame because The Venue is a really nice erm…..venue.

So to the matter in hand, and unfortunately carrying on in a somewhat negative frame, the bands that were playing, arriving fashionably late,as is my want, I missed Pete Kosanovich so I can’t report anything on him at all. The first act witnessed were Colour Clouds, well I witnessed some of the first song, Native American shamanistic wailing that dissolved into a Reverend & The Makers style pseudo funk with ridiculous dancing by the singer. That was enough for me, back to the bar.

Next up were The Hummingbirds from Liverpool, they certainly pulled a few more people in than the previous band, including Gary Lightbody (of sNOw patrol) which I should have taken as a warning. Looking like Mumfords and peddling a whole new genre, Country and Scousestern, what they did they did very well, the playing was assured and tight but really not my bag baby, back to the bar.

It became obvious that the majority had come to see The Broxton Hundred and the small room soon began to fill up with a mix of indie kids, mods and hipsters who knew the score. The Broxtons took the stage and opened with new track Here It Comes, described as their most modern song, and it certainly hit the right spot for me, slightly quicker than their other tracks, a real dancer for the future with the trademark mahoosive chorus. In a futile attempt to curry favour with your humble reviewer, Higher Surroundings was dedicated to yours truly *blush*, this is where I started to realise that the sound in The Venue was BAD, far too loud for such a small space, I think I listened to most of the set through the stage monitors, and poor Rich O on a dead house drumkit with no resonance at all, that said they played well and Run was getting the crowd moving with some people jiving down the front.  Who Put The Weight Of The World On Your Shoulders was followed by another new song, Minds Revolution, starting with a perfect 3 part harmony and building, in true Broxton Style, to a big, big chorus, that got a quite qiuet crowd moving. She Brings The Light was a highlight for me conjuring up visions of the ‘80s with its hybrid Marr/Squire guitar riff and the wah wah guitar chorus that never fails to grab me. The last song was so new it doesn’t even have a name, a Fools Gold inspired dance workout, Rich O’s Reni style drumming, and I must just say I’ve never seen such a laid back drummer, Rich L’s funk pop bassline and soul filled voice married with Gaz’s angular style, that belies his fluid playing made for a great closer.

The crowd cried for more but with the drumkit literally falling to pieces during the last number it was really not a possibility. Considering they were let down by the soundsystem and the kit, they played with verve and soul. Solid, tight and technically brilliant, my only criticism would be that they sounded a bit thin, maybe that was down to the venue, but more I think that they could do with another body on the stage, some parts crying out for a rhythm guitar or some keys to keep the sound flowing. This is a constructive criticism and takes nothing away from the songs, which to my mind are some of the best new sounds around at the minute and there is a definite “Broxton” sound that doesn’t fit into any current category, but it’s good!

I’ll definitely be catching them again, and so should you, either at The Birds Nest in Deptford on the 15th of February or at The Fiddlers Elbow in Camden on the 15th of March for Cool Brittannia.

The EP Higher Surroundings is available from www.thebroxtonhundred.com 

You can follow them on the Twitter www.twitter.com/@broxtonhundred

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Listen on Soundcloud https://soundcloud.com/thebroxtonhundred thank you and goodnight.