Review of Sigur Rós' 'Kveikur' LP for Artrocker magazine

Just like any other material by the Icelandic outfit, Kveikur, the seventh studio album to come from Sigur Rós, is steeped in pressure. Despite not being the biggest band in the world in terms of popularity, they are one of, if not the, biggest sounding bands in the world, and with that comes a certain amount of expectation. Sigur Rós are not only deemed the leader in the already much applauded Scandinavian post-rock scene and not a whole lot of people would complain were this status to be extended to the entire world of music. With their trademark sound and lead singer Jónsi’s so very falsetto omnipresent vocals, they were already taking music places. Add to that their art capabilities that go beyond the musical medium (such as their made up Hopelandic vocabulary and The Valtari Mystery Film Experiment) and you can begin to understand where all the pressure comes from. Fortunately, take a listen to quite literally the first note of lead single Brennisteinn, which opens the LP, and you’ll see that Sigur Rós continues to be innovative, that Sigur Rós is embracing the pressure, and in ways you wouldn’t expect.

Brennisteinn, after all, is an aggressive song, an adjective you wouldn’t often associate with Sigur Rós’ typical ambience and Jónsi’s delicate tones. The first ‘note’ of the album is one that is dominant and ominous, a klaxon-like sound that director Christopher Nolan so likes to illustrate the impending doom that often features in his films. Despite this kind of sound being one that isn’t ‘Sigur Rós’ (if anything most would regard the now three-piece to be the antithesis of such characteristics), it actually turns out to be the defining feature of Kveikur. Bláþráður is held together by reverb that wouldn’t be as out of place in the death metal scene so prevalent in Scandinavia as one would expect. Perhaps it is telling that the title track, with its distorted drums and heavy reliance on the bottom three guitar strings, is the heaviest song on the album? It takes some doing to make Jónsi sound even remotely like a rockstar and yet this happens far more than one would expect.

This isn’t to say it’s all doom and gloom musically speaking. Just as the LP’s lead single is representative of Sigur Rós’ new found maliciousness, so too does is its follow-up, Ísjaki, represent a quality that is just as rife and superbly executed throughout Kveikur – the Sigur Rós quality. Ísjaki is composed of the ever favoured sweeping strings and a surprisingly sing-along-able chorus, Hrafntinna has the big industrial sounding drums and eloquent layered vocals, and Rafstraumur has the ability to boost morale and provoke a real lust for life in a way that pretty well every other Sigur Rós song can. These are the generally accepted traits of Sigur Rós. Or, rather, they were.

With the arrival of Kveikur, and its seamless fusing of characteristics that so very are and so very aren’t ‘Sigur Rós’, how the band will be identified has changed somewhat. It will, and can, no longer be the quality of music that will differentiate their art from their peers. It will be the quality of innovation. This, surely, is the biggest compliment of all.

4/5

Released: 17^th June 2013 (XL Recordings)

Review of Pure X's 'Crawling Up The Stairs' LP for Artrocker magazine

This album is a relationship.

In some ways, Crawling Up The Stairs is a relationship in the way you'd expect. With song titles such as Things in my Head and Someone Else, it will come as no surprise to hear that lead vocalist Nate Grace is not afraid to simply put it out there in his lyrics, say it how it is. Singing "Take my hand, walk into the sun" on the former and growling "Make me feel something, baby, I don't give a fuck" on the latter, there certainly aren't any complex metaphors, sophisticated similes and other such figures of speech your old A-Level teacher used to get his/her kicks out of. Whether that's a good thing or not is open to interpretation.

The aforementioned lyrics do more than just provoke a discussion about complexity, as well as the lack of, in simplicity, though; they also give an indication of the undecided musical tone. Whilst Shadows and Lies' "What the Hell is real anymore?" line is fairly representative of the lyrical theme consistent throughout the album (who wanted to listen about a relationship going well, anyway?), this is by no means to say it is all doom and gloom. The chiming guitars of Things in My Head, for example, sound as if they're composed of the 60s vibes that made the 70s the decade it was, but the delightfully titled Written in the Slime provides a far more accurate portrayal of the LP, and in more ways than one. Robotic-like vocal effects, Jesse Jenkins' bass cooly bumbling on in the background, general eeriness are features that the album predominantly consists of. The issue is that this kind of sound can only be used so much. Rinse it for all its worth in the manner Pure X does and it is only a matter of time before it grows tired.

Unfortunately the temperamental, haphazard quality that so often dominates relationships does the same with this new LP from the Austin trio. This isn’t to say there aren’t moments of brilliance. The almost surf pop sounds of Thousand Year Old Child gives a glimpse of what wholehearted goodness Pure X can produce when in the mood. Grace hitting the high notes so competently one song (opener Crawling Up The Stairs) and snarling with such emotion quite literally the next (Someone Else) shows a versatility only the most talented of musicians have in their armory. But just as a versatility of quality and stability can be the downfall of a relationship, so too is this the case with Pure X’s Crawling Up The Stairs. A real shame as the creativity, the innovation, the technical standard is there, but it’s still the all too often bad moments you’ll remember.

This album is a relationship.

2/5

Released: 12^th May 2013 (Merok Records)

Great Heat's #DreamSofar

Similarly to the bar which they call home, Great Heat have many faces. A creative hub, an experiment, a secret; The Doodle Bar, with its Test Bed space, is not simply a bar. Great Heat is not simply a band.

Born in the early stages of 2012 via the reshuffling of a few other bands, the four of Great Heat stumbled upon what was The Doodle Bar – and more importantly Testbed1 – in the making. To such an extent did they find the building-come-project to be their kind of ‘space’, the boys decided to settle down somewhat to figure out which direction their sound was to go. In fact, so settled did they become, in no time it was deemed their ‘isolation centre’. A whole year later, the self-prescribed metaphorical Winter was over and the band were ready to come out their hole and face the big, wide world. Judging from the resultant material, in the form of lead single Laid Bare and its B-side Who’s The Dude, it was well worth the wait. Described by themselves as a cocktail of ‘the dirty riffs of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, the churning ambience of Arcade Fire and pop vitality of The Black Keys’, the sound of Great Heat is one that is rich in its complexity, yet is not afraid to say what it thinks and cause some damage should it be thought necessary.

It is not just their written craft that offers so much in so many ways, though, for there is also the manner in which the band perform their product to take into consideration. Whilst, for example, on record Laid Bare is cool as cats and Who’s The Dude has a distinct chilled Summer holiday vibe, played live the songs are treated to a whole new dimension; when it was performed at a recent Sofar in London, for instance, the former got people onto their feet and, even, dancing. This energy is, quite literally, getting the four piece all around the live scene, and justifiably so; in addition to their more traditional gigs (they’re next playing the not-yet-opened The Monarch on March 6^th, with an as of yet unannounced UK tour soon after), their live quality is also warranting approaches from areas of the industry that aren’t quite so obvious – last Summer they were invited to play at Peace & Love, Sweden’s biggest musical festival, and just the other week they played a fashion week show for designer friend Sarmite Ostanevica.

Unsurprisingly, such buzz, such promise, is getting the attention of the kinds of people that can take the funky rockers to the heights they deserve. Laid Bare, for example: was mastered by Brian Lucey, who has done the same for the likes of The Shins and The Black Keys; was the ‘Track of the Day’ for several blogs, including Killing Moon; has a video featuring Will Payne of current ITV periodic drama hit, Mr. Selfridge (to be unveiled on Saturday). And, most importantly, the band are managed by none other than Sofar’s very own Tom Lovett.

Great Heat’s #DreamSofar would be:

Otis Redding (Blain McGuigan, vocals and guitar):

‘Otis Redding's voice is my personal favourite of all modern singers: dynamic, soulful and unique. A stripped back set-up would have allowed the audience to fully digest the Madman from Macon's famously electric live performance. The Sofar ethos is intimacy between the crowd and the artist, and I believe Otis Redding had the capacity to illuminate a small crowd more than most who have lived.’

The Kills (Sam Travers, bass):

‘I think the whole Sofar thing is an interesting environment in which an audience can engage with an artist, not just on a personal level but to see the chemistry between performers. I would probably have to say The Kills. I have seen them a fair few times now but at fairly large shows. They are remarkably visceral songwriters, valuing expression more highly than technical showmanship. The tension between Mosshart and Hince makes for very charged performances. Jamie Hince is probably the biggest influence on me as a musician; I love his tone, inventive style and The Kills overall minimal sound, particularly Keep On Your Mean Side.’

Creedence Clearwater Revival (Alex Cameron Ward, lead guitar):

‘John Fogerty's howl, his honest, simple and yet extremely relevant lyrics make me feel a type of cool that shatters my spine. All the inner battles and doubts are put to rest, Creedence Clearwater Revival make me feel like the man I want to be. To see these guys (in their prime of course!) play I Heard It Through the Grapevine would be electrifying.’

Kurt Vile (band choice):

‘Collectively, we would love to see Kurt Vile. He has a really inspiring way of making quite simple stuff sound interesting. Sofar sees lots of really talented acoustic performers every day; however, we think it might be cool to see somebody meliorate the acoustic performance a little. The way Kurt Vile constructs an aesthetic through his use of effects makes his songs truly idiosyncratic. He is not the greatest singer, he is just a really expressive musician who would bring something more than an acoustic guitar to a performance. There is virtue in stripping something down, but maybe adapting sonic characteristics makes for a more memorable performance in our books.’

Glitches' #DreamSofar

When asked what process they go through to create music, Glitches answers in two parts: a) moments of road-to-Damascus-like inspiration (rarely), b) hours of artless grind (mostly). An answer that, in being self-degrading and humorous, is one that you should disregard, for Glitches are a band of the highest quality and thus one to be taken very, very seriously.

This is not to say that everything Glitches says should be abandoned. Far from it. Whilst, for example, one might expect the three piece saying that they’re influenced by the Algerians and Moroccans who live in the ‘African mafia den’ below them to be another joke response, most probably at the expense of our gullibility, you’d be surprised. Not only do African-style beats keep their plucky first single, Leper, ticking along nicely, the band also made heavy use of them when performing their recent single, Warm Seas (which can be bought here), for those who were lucky enough to catch them at the London Sofar just before Christmas.

It’s actually in Warm Seas where Glitches’ high quality really shines through. Not because Mick supplies the funkiest of basslines, not because it showcases Robbie’s soaring vocal chords, not because it’s all held together by James’ percussion as well as it could, and not because it’s recently been favoured by both John Kennedy of XFM and Huw Stephens of BBC Radio 1, two radio heavyweights who’s primary purpose is to uncover the latest and greatest upcoming acts, but because it’s enormously different to Leper. If a band from Whitechapel being partially inspired by the sounds of Algeria and Morocco isn’t enough to prove the diversity, and thus talent, of Glitches, comparing the mysterious and epic of Warm Seas to the content, holiday vibes of Leper ought to do the trick.

Similarly to the way Glitches devote their many talents to producing such different tones for their two official singles thus far, they also do so by creating in ways that doesn’t include them writing songs, only further highlighting their diversity. The band are also, for example, organising their own live music events. Just as the diversity remains, so too does the quality – having previously been asked by promoters ATP to curate a headline show at the legendary Sebright Arms, by the looks of the line-up of Halcyon Nights XI (Beaty Heart, Ryan Philips of Cat Lovers, Jen Long of BBC Radio 1 and Glitches themselves, due to take place on March 7^th), the gang certainly aren’t hurting the local music scene.

What really seals the deal is, when asked what their dream collaboration would be, Glitches reply ‘Working with the director, Sergei Eisenstein, to create a modern score for his silent film, Battleship Potemkin.’ It must be said that a sure-fire sign of a band going places is when one can’t be sure whether the ambitions they express are to be taken as a joke or seriously. Probably best you go to see them fight their own battles (at the Old Queen’s Head in Hoxton on March 1^st and Birthdays in Dalston on April 17^th, with tickets for the latter available to buy here) and we found out what their #DreamSofar would be, then.

Glitches’ #DreamSofar would be:

Vangelis (Robbie, vocals/keyboards/samples):

‘My dream performance would be Vangelis. Specifically, I want to hear his album, Soil Festivities, performed from start to finish. I think that album really portrays a sense of wonder at nature. It makes me feel like I'm walking through an untouched forest which is awakening into the throes of spring. While he is more known for his soundtracking work, I have a particular weakness for these compositions. We try to create a cinematic feel in many of our songs, so he's a real inspiration. This album, in a Sofar Sounds session, with a good light show, would be mesmerising.’

Brian Eno (James, drums/percussion):

‘I'd like to see Brian Eno perform Another Green World at my dream Sofar Sounds session. I love how he creates soundscapes with interesting rhythms interwoven throughout. I would be fascinated to see how he would translate his music to an acoustic session, especially since working out this translation was what I enjoyed most when Glitches prepared to play Sofar Sounds.’

Mark Knopfler (Mick, guitars):

‘I would like to see Mark Knopfler performing Romeo and Juliet. He plays the guitar as if it were an extension of himself and, unlike many guitarists of his age, uses it as a vehicle for the song, rather than the other way around. Romeo and Juliet is a song in which the silence between the notes is as important as the notes themselves, and Sofar Sounds provides the perfect environment to fully appreciate this.’

The Notorious B.I.G. (band choice):

‘All three of us would all definitely like to see Notorious B.I.G. We're all big fans of the rhythms and flow of rap, in particular the focus on building a powerful yet simple groove. In our opinion, Biggy's tracks are the best at doing this, especially Juicy where an infectious beat gels perfectly with his rapping style. To top it all, you just can't beat his lyrics; how often do you hear about butter and toast in a rap song?’

The Smiths (band choice):

‘We've also agreed on that The Smiths would perfectly cap off this Sofar session. Their songs threaded through so many experiences of our adolescence. The lyrics describe, so vividly, exactly what we've experienced about the love and longing of youth. Morrissey's histrionics would no doubt entertain. There's no chance in hell it would ever happen, but we can all dream, right?’

Review of Duologue's debut LP, 'Song & Dance'

There are some artists and bands out there who are ruined by adopting the mentality ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ far too literally for far too long. There are some bands out there who are too ‘artistic’ to be ‘pinned down’ by labels and consequently make it their mission to dabble in every genre going, thus alienating their already somewhat perplexed fans. Then there are the artists and bands who get the balance just right and, if you’re lucky, create their own ‘sound’ in the process. Judging by their debut LP,Song & Dance (which you can buy here), Duologue is one of those bands.

The strength in depth, the sculpted eccentricity, of this record is simply staggering. You could say this is solely represented by Zeros – how often does one come across a combination of guitars that are rocked as hard as the drums, piano that is played as elegantly as the accompanying strings and dubstep, let alone one that actually works? – but the rest of the album simply wouldn’t allow for it. For example, whilst Sinner and Snap Out Of It have the gutsy aggression of a band just coming into their own (the latter is reminiscent of Muse’s Plug In Baby days, with the most adequate way to describe the former being the kind of song the forces of Good and Evil would fiercely battle to), Underworld, with its relaxed beats and soft chimes, reveals the other half of Duologue in a way that is a little more subtle than the crash-bang dubstep evident on Cut and Run.

Rather oxymoronically, it’s to the epic Push It, clocking in at more than ten minutes, that one can find instances of the five piece’s intricacy and tenderness. Rather than forever trying to impress with how much noise their guitar strings and Korg machines can make, and thus place themselves in the dangerously repetitive ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ category, Push It, and the LP as a whole, is diced up when the band illustrate what kind of noise their tools can make, as well as how little. Just as the band show how they can do dark and ominous synth as well as they can plucky math rock on just a couple of the many sections of their recent single, such blood, sweat and tears have evidently been dedicated to the likes of the heartfelt Escape Artist and the soft Constant in the hope to maintain the high attention to detail and complexity omnipresent throughout the album.

It is their ability to compose a not-so-subtle rock anthem that’s as good as a more subtle detailed electronica beat, to embrace two hugely contrasting genres in such an innovative way, that creates their very own sound and consequently makes both the band, and their debut LP, so exciting.

Review of To Kill A King's debut LP, 'Cannibals With Cutlery'

To introduce their debut album, Cannibals With Cutlery (available to buy physically and digitally): two elephant seals fighting each other. The video for leading single, Cold Skin: what can only be described as clowns gone wrong wrestling. Although on the surface To Kill A King’s promotional material appears to be nothing other than plain bizarre, delve a little deeper and you start to uproot what the five piece is all about; they are connoisseurs of the alternative-folk genre, but with evidently more emphasis on the ‘alternative’ aspect than the ‘folk’. It’s fortunate as the genre can be one full of clichés and stereotypes happily conformed to but, with 100,000+ views of Cold Skin (and counting), it’s a quirkiness the listening public are clearly embracing.

Wolves, for example, is accompanied by a faint synth-based beat that would not be so out of place in the EDM scene, whilst Children Who Start Fires is kept company by drums that are surprisingly bongo-like. Even more curious, though, is frontman Ralph Pelleymounter’s choice not to make full use of his deliciously baritone vocal chords on Fictional State, but instead opting for a style not so dissimilar to that of Mike Skinner of The Streets. And the album, maybe even the alt-folk genre as a whole, is much more refreshing as a result.

But it’s not just the London outfit’s overly aggressive elephant seals and pseudo-clowns that can be read into. So, too, can the album title, Cannibals With Cutlery. As previously established, the band likes things to be on the slightly unconventional side, thus accounting for ‘Cannibals’. As for the ‘With Cutlery’, one can turn to the sheer sophistication of the album; sure the layers of brass and strings featured on over half of the tracks brings a certain refinement to proceedings, but it is the band’s use of the instruments that really shine through. As expected, the boys make use of the manpower to hand in obvious ways – Choices has to be described as majestic and Funeral nothing short of epic – but in other instances the orchestral sections really help to evoke feeling and emotion that is otherwise unreachable; it is difficult to imagine the power of Gasp and the contrasting tenderness of Family without TKAK using the help offered from the classical genre to such good effect.

It is their maturity, their ability to see what works and what doesn’t, their capability to work with what they have and haven’t got (compare a stripped back Sofar to a recording studio packed out with an orchestra) that confirms To Kill A King are ready to gobble up the world before them. Let’s hope they’ve got enough cutlery, because they’re going to need it.